4
Helpful Review
a very complicated leather
In theory this is not a stand-alone, but mainly a perfume meant to boost/enhance/nuance any of the other Elie Saab Cuir series. I heartily disagree: this suggests to me that Francis Kurkdjian has more up his sleeve. I’m wearing it in 20-25 C weather and apart from the first blast/minute I would almost guarantee no one who walked in to my apartment during the last hour would have said “you smell like leather!”
There is a lot of at least two types of ylang (a heady/fruity and a gasoline/rubber) together with spicy mincemeat ; there is some smoke …
I want to call it a lesson in perfumery — in part because I am also currently sussing out Cuir Ylang and the overlaps I smell are not where I expected them.
What I can say, so far: this is highly unusual and potent, in my view gorgeous stuff. I think it leans just slightly masculine but it is so outside what most people are wearing it’s hard to say. It will not be everyone’s cup of tea. I have twice been told “ you smell (so) good!” but I have also overwhelmed someone who had to roll the car windows down. One person said “mmm, you smell like a lady!” — so I suppose it is not inherently more masculine! It does smell expensive. It really radiates.
I am going to have to spend more time on it. Back in two weeks.
(ok just two hours later but I finally found it: it is very reminiscent (not note for note but in intensity, vibe and construction) of my last few precious drops of Millot’s Crepe de Chine parfum. (Less complex< less powder, but a similar density and intensity and a certain kind of grit.) This Cuir may be a full-on chypre of the old style.
There is a lot of at least two types of ylang (a heady/fruity and a gasoline/rubber) together with spicy mincemeat ; there is some smoke …
I want to call it a lesson in perfumery — in part because I am also currently sussing out Cuir Ylang and the overlaps I smell are not where I expected them.
What I can say, so far: this is highly unusual and potent, in my view gorgeous stuff. I think it leans just slightly masculine but it is so outside what most people are wearing it’s hard to say. It will not be everyone’s cup of tea. I have twice been told “ you smell (so) good!” but I have also overwhelmed someone who had to roll the car windows down. One person said “mmm, you smell like a lady!” — so I suppose it is not inherently more masculine! It does smell expensive. It really radiates.
I am going to have to spend more time on it. Back in two weeks.
(ok just two hours later but I finally found it: it is very reminiscent (not note for note but in intensity, vibe and construction) of my last few precious drops of Millot’s Crepe de Chine parfum. (Less complex< less powder, but a similar density and intensity and a certain kind of grit.) This Cuir may be a full-on chypre of the old style.
Belleotero
