No, it’s not cozy, but I still want to draw a comparison with Kuschelrock (do they still exist?). The albums usually featured beautiful songs that you had already listened to all year long, some of them really overplayed. But it was convenient to have them all on one CD so you didn’t have to keep switching. It’s somewhat similar with Balade Sauvage, a collection of beautiful scents that you probably already know, at least if you’re a fan of citrusy, ethereal fragrances.
As a greeting from the kitchen, Petit Matin serves delicate, herb-fresh lemons with a green-plant-like touch, not particularly sour or zesty, rather morning-shy, tender, lightly creamy.
Quickly, a sweet-salty fig is served as the second course, strongly reminiscent of Figuier Ardent by Atelier Cologne. Very ethereal-fresh, like a single fig tree on a Mediterranean peninsula by the sea; I’ve rarely smelled such a pleasant fig, often it quickly becomes overwhelming for me, especially when it gets too sweet. It often takes center stage too much, occupying your attention so that you no longer notice other fine facets of the fragrance, Ferragamo’s classic is a good example. So, it needs a counterpart, which here would be the citrusy and floral nuances; while they can’t compete with the fig, the slightly woody undertone keeps it in check. Similar fragrances like Fico di Amalfi and Cedro di Taormina partially flow in here.
The sweetness in the background reminds me of ELDO’s Remarkable People; it adds a bit of creaminess and provides further counterbalance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pinpoint the source.
All of this together smells really pleasant, but it’s just not new.
It doesn’t have to be, though; it appeals to me because it’s simply so easy to wear, without being a soliflore, which can quickly become monotonous and boring. I also appreciate that you probably can’t reinvent the wheel in this fragrance segment. All citrus fruits in the world have been completely squeezed out in every possible combination, even beyond the peel; Atelier Cologne offers a fragrant overview here. What makes the scent then more exciting is its counterpart. Aqua Sextius shows this wonderfully with its oak moss. Of course, Balade Sauvage is more casual and easier to wear.
Similar to Paris-Deauville by Chanel, it conveys this lightheartedness, yes, also a piece of purity, a high level of being well-groomed. Therefore, both will probably have to compete for my favor next spring. Given my pre-existing sympathy for the Dior Prive series, I already have an idea of who will win the game. Even if it can’t measure up to the big fragrances of the Prive line, such as Gris Montaigne, Bois d’Argent, or Mitzah, and I generally don’t like brands and may doubt their inspiration when they release 5 fragrances at once or 10 fragrances in 2 years, I still like it as a perfect all-rounder, a wonderful daytime scent in warm temperatures; in winter, it will probably go down mercilessly.
Here we are already at its major flaw, its longevity.
If I want to express it kindly, it stays with me for about 3 hours, which brings us back to Acqua di Parma level. The sillage is really good in the first hour; a really nice wave of good mood and freshly showered scent comes towards you, but unfortunately, it pulls back too quickly for me, which is a shame. The 125ml should fit very well here.
Everyday use: 10/10
Feel-good factor: 10/10
Wow effect: 5/10
Price-performance: 4/10
EDIT 11.11.18
Thanks to the dear TheScenter, I had another opportunity to test it. He had the impression that it has a feminine note (sample), which doesn’t appear directly from the bottle. My impression was similar; in my sample, which was also used for the comment, I describe a slight feminine note that appears from the heart note. In his test, this note also showed up yesterday, but today in another test, it didn’t, which is interesting how we perceive fragrances differently on different days. I believe it’s not about where the scent comes from (sample, decant, bottle), but simply about one’s condition that day.
For me, it remains fundamentally feminine from the heart note.
Fig tree
Citrus fruits
Marine notes
VanAllan
TRehf
Aspasia0
SmellGoodGuy
Ergreifend
Valerie7
Konst121
TheScenter
LS5
Ripley
