Soleil de Jeddah Afterglow Stéphane Humbert Lucas 2022

Soleil De Jeddah Afterglow from the French House of Haute Luxury Niche Perfumery Stephane Humbert Lucas 777 is a unisex floral aromatic ambery oriental perfume. It was launched in 2022 and the nose behind this fragrance is Stéphane Humbert Lucas also owner of the brand. This exquisite fragrance combines resinous incensed depth, floral elegance and creamy sweetness in a refined and relaxing experience that radiates sophistication and refinement; a radiant fusion of iris, incense, amber, and vanilla that shines like the last light of the sun on the horizon of the Red Sea in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

On my skin, my sense of smell, I perceive an aromatic, refreshing, delicious chamomile exit, with an ambery, fruity footprint that does not exist in the Traditional and that reminded me mainly of mango, although the flanker with mango is officially the Mango Kiss [which does not interest me] and not the Afterglow; But it is certainly present here as well. And the styrax brings the super elegant leather from the drying of the Soleil De Jeddah Traditional although in less evidence and its floral part was also well softened. But it is already evident that it is a delicious fragrance.

This fruity amber accord starts to get smoky by myrrh resins and a steamy dark incense, moving away from its brother Mango Kiss [which I don't know yet] but from what I've researched it's much more fruity and sweet. The famous iris of the Traditional, which for me is a masterpiece of niche perfumery, was greatly reduced in this version and giving it a smooth and slightly powdery texture. It does not have the earthy facet of the orris root of Soleil De Jeddah. But there is vetiver with its earthy and woody character giving it a dimension of depth. I liked it a lot; Soleil De Jeddah Afterglow is a Delicious Perfume!

In summary it is a complex and multifaceted fragrance, which reveals itself in a really interesting way. Its aroma is unique, not because it is "strange", but because of the way it moves between different chords and combines different facets. With acidic citrus, with a relaxing herbal touch of chamomile and an exotic sensuality of sweet and musky orchid, powdery and soft iris butter, an incensed mist, with a dark amber, styrax referring to leather, balsamic and resinous myrrh, finishing with the smoky sweetness of benzoin with vanilla. An interesting, unique and high quality perfume. And it also has a good performance!

My remaining review of the brand's two sample sets: Soleil de Jeddah with the Afterglow flanker from the 777 collection. It doesn't seem to be all that popular, especially since mine is the first review here. This flanker has been on the market since 2022. That may also be because this release already resembles the original Soleil de Jeddah, but has been given a slightly rounder feel, with fewer sharp edges. Unlike Soleil de Jeddah Mango Kiss, this is a fragrance that leans very heavily on the original, which I already like anyway. The opening is a little fresher, with a fruity note. Both versions share the herbal chamomile note, which is already a defining part of the DNA's charm. In keeping with its name, Afterglow is, in my opinion, the more refined evening version, with warm, smoky notes. By no means a bad fragrance, but owning both versions is more for true fans of this DNA.

The fragrance's RRP is typically high at €265 for 50 ml. You get a great overall package, with a refined scent, beautiful bottle and elegant packaging. The pretty 50 ml bottles will of course look great in any luxury niche collection.
The fragrance's opening immediately brings the original to mind, as well as similar scents such as 17 Rosso and Shuhrah. Here you get a milder version that opens with plenty of herbal chamomile, fruity mandarin and a touch of citrus freshness. Smoky notes come through right away, stemming from the incense, with smoky, spicy myrrh adding even more depth to this facet. The resinous notes the brand is already known for also come through nicely here (especially in the 777 line). There are resinous balsamic notes from benzoin, styrax, amber and myrrh. Really lovely and harmonious, especially with the vanilla note adding a little extra sweetness. Quite pleasant to wear, though it doesn't exactly knock my socks off (especially at this high price). Overall, a well-rounded fragrance that works nicely for the evening, with a fairly creative, niche style and a unisex appeal.
Performance is good, though the sillage isn't "atomic". The fragrance lasts around 10 hours, and the sillage is stylish and pleasant.

Overall, this isn't a flanker that was absolutely necessary, but it's still a great little extra for fans of this DNA. It's a little easier to wear than the original, but otherwise quite similar. It certainly isn't, and won't be, a bestseller.