If only every scent could stir emotions in me the way
Raw Gold Extrait de Parfum does (my previous review). I often say that some fragrances instantly conjure a scene, an event, or a moment, and others allow my imagination to take over so easily that describing them becomes effortless. At worst, a scent inspires nothing but a technical breakdown, though that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad.
I’ve been meaning to write about
Ruby ever since the bottle arrived at the beginning of summer. The reason for the delay isn’t only that the scent doesn’t speak to me in the right way. There were two other factors: first, during my trip to Milan in February, this fragrance was everywhere. People sprayed it so generously that it was impossible not to smell it in the air and on everyone passing by. And because the overspraying was anything but moderate, its initially charming character soon turned suffocating, exposing a synthetic edge that overwhelmed me. Second, by the time my own bottle arrived, the weather in Finland had already warmed up and Ruby is simply not a warm-weather scent. Its synthetic, heavy structure becomes far too cloying in the summer. Now, after a couple of months of gloomy, damp, chilly days, I finally dared to wear Ruby again, and the long break clearly helped.
Ruby is full of edible notes, but this is not a refined gourmand. The ingredients seem to compete with one another, each trying to dominate, leaving others behind. The opening is an unrealistically fruity, berry-heavy blast where nothing can be identified individually. It’s thick, sticky, and incredibly intense. There’s nothing fresh or juicy about it. The fruits and berries melt into a mix of ice cream and whipped cream, creating a surprisingly dark concoction. You might expect the base to bring some natural warmth, but if those notes are there, they’re too weak to break through the aroma chemicals. There’s no natural Vanilla or Tonka here: instead, the base makes the scent even darker and heavier. And yet, despite all this, something about Ruby is oddly captivating and addictive. It’s at its best from a bit of distance, when it seems to dance around you rather than sit on your skin. I actually prefer spraying it on clothes, then the occasional waft can feel quite charming, unlike the suffocating effect of overspraying.
I own two heavy, fruity fragrances with dark amber bases -
Ruby and
Aoud Extraordinaire - and they sit at completely different extremes. Ruby feels futuristic with its aggressively synthetic gourmand notes, while
Aoud Extraordinaire reminds me of a lush 80s–90s floral enriched with a somewhat natural fruit cocktail. Ruby is a fragrance that will strongly divide opinions because its character is so distinctive. I’m known for criticizing synthetic notes and how they’re constructed, so this scent isn’t an easy one for me. Still, I finally found the right moment for it: an extremely dark, gray day with no light at all, when a thick fog hangs low and it rains every other hour. Everyone wears dark clothes and hardly anyone smiles. In that setting, Ruby brings a strange kind of comfort. Light, bright fruity scents would feel far too summery.
If it isn’t already clear: this scent projects heavily and lasts a long time, days on clothing. It’s not recommended indoors or around people, as it can easily cause headaches. But if you enjoy fruity gourmands and aren’t afraid of synthetics, I do recommend trying it. Just don’t blind buy it!
Thank you for reading,
I would appreciate if you follow me on my
IG and/or YouTube (English subtitles available):
@ninamariahperfumes
It gives me a lot of motivation to write more.
Top Notes 
Pineapple
Cherry
Red berries
Almond
Coconut
Heart Notes 
Brown sugar
Ice cream
Cream
Powdery notes
Base Notes 
Amber
Benzoin
Musk
Vanilla
Tonka bean
Ninamariah
Caroleanne81
RichScents
Msblanche
XyzXyz
Splitter
Chnokfir
Basti87
Kankuro
SchnüFFleRR
