PTSD Phoenicia
3
Helpful Review
Not traumatic after all
PTSD was an audacious blind buy. I came across it when discussing turmeric in perfumes with @TonyB882 and it spoke to me right away. As my username would suggest, somewhere along my fragrance journey, I have lost my sense of smell (and my grip on reality). Something with a myriad of animalic notes seemed like a no-brainer to me, since I scarcely enjoy a scent without civet, indole or at least castoreum.
That being said, I still expected it to be a statement piece - a poorly blended, barely wearable amateur hour. Luckily, PTSD isn't animalic for the sake of it, and the blending is phenomenal. There are multiple cohesive stages, where intimidating notes actually serve as an undertone, adding an enticing warmth to the mixture.
Upon spraying, I'm greeted by oldschool aldehydes: sparkly, metallic and waxy. Now, is it waxy enough to sell me on the hairspray note? Not quite, because a realistic grapefruit immediately takes over. By realistic, I mean both sour and bittersweet, but also pithy, rindy and slightly oily. It transitions very smoothly into a citric olibanum - more on that later.
After a refreshing opening, PTSD eagerly unveils its spicy heart. Turmeric is present; I would describe it as an earthier, sharper variation of ginger. Fennel adds another layer of spiciness. Definitely more herbaceous than anise, but not vegetal enough to be off-putting. Grapefruit suddenly feels sweeter, offering a pleasant contrast to the aromatic, earthy giants.
There's a gorgeous animalic volume, though I can't say it's easy to notice during the first hour. However, once the spicy maelstrom settles, indolic jasmine and fluffy civet start coming to life. They provide a creamy, musky texture that intertwines nicely with the earthiness. It's intense, yet it doesn't dominate the other aspects or overwhelm the wearer.
In fact, it slowly recedes over time. About 4 hours into the wear, I'm left with balsamic, citrusy olibanum and musty woodiness. Can I smell cepes or any moldiness? Not necessarily, but the combination of oakmoss and "soil" feels a bit damp indeed. The drydown phase comes off as generic and on the safe side to me, but I understand that's a plus for most people.
To sum it up, PTSD goes through many stages: citrusy-waxy, earthy-spicy, indolic-musky and resinous-woody. Projection is average - loud initial hour, moderate during the second, then it becomes a skin scent. Longevity is good; 7-8 hours on skin. While I deducted 1 point from the final score because the base lacks vision, it's one of the most unique blends I've experienced, and totally worth the wholesome 68.39€ import tax from US to EU.
That being said, I still expected it to be a statement piece - a poorly blended, barely wearable amateur hour. Luckily, PTSD isn't animalic for the sake of it, and the blending is phenomenal. There are multiple cohesive stages, where intimidating notes actually serve as an undertone, adding an enticing warmth to the mixture.
Upon spraying, I'm greeted by oldschool aldehydes: sparkly, metallic and waxy. Now, is it waxy enough to sell me on the hairspray note? Not quite, because a realistic grapefruit immediately takes over. By realistic, I mean both sour and bittersweet, but also pithy, rindy and slightly oily. It transitions very smoothly into a citric olibanum - more on that later.
After a refreshing opening, PTSD eagerly unveils its spicy heart. Turmeric is present; I would describe it as an earthier, sharper variation of ginger. Fennel adds another layer of spiciness. Definitely more herbaceous than anise, but not vegetal enough to be off-putting. Grapefruit suddenly feels sweeter, offering a pleasant contrast to the aromatic, earthy giants.
There's a gorgeous animalic volume, though I can't say it's easy to notice during the first hour. However, once the spicy maelstrom settles, indolic jasmine and fluffy civet start coming to life. They provide a creamy, musky texture that intertwines nicely with the earthiness. It's intense, yet it doesn't dominate the other aspects or overwhelm the wearer.
In fact, it slowly recedes over time. About 4 hours into the wear, I'm left with balsamic, citrusy olibanum and musty woodiness. Can I smell cepes or any moldiness? Not necessarily, but the combination of oakmoss and "soil" feels a bit damp indeed. The drydown phase comes off as generic and on the safe side to me, but I understand that's a plus for most people.
To sum it up, PTSD goes through many stages: citrusy-waxy, earthy-spicy, indolic-musky and resinous-woody. Projection is average - loud initial hour, moderate during the second, then it becomes a skin scent. Longevity is good; 7-8 hours on skin. While I deducted 1 point from the final score because the base lacks vision, it's one of the most unique blends I've experienced, and totally worth the wholesome 68.39€ import tax from US to EU.