Marine notes
Tonka bean
Bergamot
Cashmere
Mandarin orange
Moss
Sandalwood
Woods
Amber
Orris root
Rose
Elysium
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Elysium
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Transitive Similarities
Is Absolutely Dark really that dark? It is no mystery that this new creation by ZARA, signed by Marion Costero, immediately brings to mind that fresh, citrusy, aromatic, a little green and a little flowery genre to which more well-known fragrances such as Fierce Cologne, Legend Eau de Toilette, and Percival belong to. This was the first impression I had when I smelled the three fragrances in the series, which include Amber Brown and Nostalgia Blue, to which Unexplored Black was recently added.
Although the olfactory pyramids are quite different, the DNA is very similar among Fierce, Legend. and Percival fragrances. If we look at the year of release on the market, the first fragrance with that kind of smell was Fierce, followed by Legend, and finally by Percival. Even if the similarity is not a transitive property, we can always say that some Fierce is present in Legend, which is present in Percival, and finally, it is present in Absolutely Dark. In other words, Fierce --> Legend --> Percival --> Absolutely Dark seems to be a natural transition. Alright, I think I’ve rambled on too much and it’s time we dive into the scent in question.
Absolutely Dark blooms with a blast of super fresh and aromatic accords on a powdery background. Not a tough powderiness like L'Homme or Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Toilette, but a sort of dusty cobweb, perceivable yet invisible. There is an unmistakable herbal touch of lavender, fresh, and balsamic, surrounded by a mix of citrus accord. So, the opening is bright, stunning, a smidgen soapy, with a barbershop slant. It never crosses the citrus boundary or the spicy one. The advertising mentions marine accord, which I barely recognise, except in the salty shades of amber. So, the perfume doesn’t overflow into marine fragrances, which is a good thing for me.
Then, I was expecting an explosion of blossoms, given the participation of rose, orris, and lavender. Instead, it is not overpowering, while I receive the right dose of powderiness and spiciness. The rose is closer to the green geranium, without those jammy and dewy facets, while the orris just adds that dustiness without lipstick or makeup reminiscences. The trace it leaves in the heartfelt phase must be very pleasant for others who perceive it because I received a lot of compliments within about half an hour of applying it. At this point, the fragrance takes a different road, more aromatic and less powdery than Legend.
Musky, mossy, and woody are the most prominent aspects I catch in the dry-down. Among those nuances, there is a pleasant dry amber, which I associate with salty ambroxan. The more it dries, the more it turns warm, sweet, and vanilla-like, and the tonka expands, cuddles, and wraps around me. Courtesy of sandalwood, the woodiness is not exaggerated, and together with cashmeran, it gets a creamy and smooth slant.
My impression is that it starts like Fierce and ends like Percival. Though, it is further from Fierce, a bit more balsamic and resinous, and closer to Percival, somehow more dusty and woody. The projection is strong initially, then moves down to moderate; about longevity, I can smell it for several hours on my skin and clothes as a skin scent. I like to wear this kind of aroma during the season transition, such as winter to spring, and fall to winter. It is pretty versatile, and it works both day and night, for leisure, and at work either. Absolutely Dark ain’t not so dark, yet is a lekker, and mass pleasing. I've received a lot of unsolicited compliments while wearing it.
I'm describing the sensation I get on a bottle I've owned since October 2023 (BC 32300).
-Elysium
Although the olfactory pyramids are quite different, the DNA is very similar among Fierce, Legend. and Percival fragrances. If we look at the year of release on the market, the first fragrance with that kind of smell was Fierce, followed by Legend, and finally by Percival. Even if the similarity is not a transitive property, we can always say that some Fierce is present in Legend, which is present in Percival, and finally, it is present in Absolutely Dark. In other words, Fierce --> Legend --> Percival --> Absolutely Dark seems to be a natural transition. Alright, I think I’ve rambled on too much and it’s time we dive into the scent in question.
Absolutely Dark blooms with a blast of super fresh and aromatic accords on a powdery background. Not a tough powderiness like L'Homme or Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Toilette, but a sort of dusty cobweb, perceivable yet invisible. There is an unmistakable herbal touch of lavender, fresh, and balsamic, surrounded by a mix of citrus accord. So, the opening is bright, stunning, a smidgen soapy, with a barbershop slant. It never crosses the citrus boundary or the spicy one. The advertising mentions marine accord, which I barely recognise, except in the salty shades of amber. So, the perfume doesn’t overflow into marine fragrances, which is a good thing for me.
Then, I was expecting an explosion of blossoms, given the participation of rose, orris, and lavender. Instead, it is not overpowering, while I receive the right dose of powderiness and spiciness. The rose is closer to the green geranium, without those jammy and dewy facets, while the orris just adds that dustiness without lipstick or makeup reminiscences. The trace it leaves in the heartfelt phase must be very pleasant for others who perceive it because I received a lot of compliments within about half an hour of applying it. At this point, the fragrance takes a different road, more aromatic and less powdery than Legend.
Musky, mossy, and woody are the most prominent aspects I catch in the dry-down. Among those nuances, there is a pleasant dry amber, which I associate with salty ambroxan. The more it dries, the more it turns warm, sweet, and vanilla-like, and the tonka expands, cuddles, and wraps around me. Courtesy of sandalwood, the woodiness is not exaggerated, and together with cashmeran, it gets a creamy and smooth slant.
My impression is that it starts like Fierce and ends like Percival. Though, it is further from Fierce, a bit more balsamic and resinous, and closer to Percival, somehow more dusty and woody. The projection is strong initially, then moves down to moderate; about longevity, I can smell it for several hours on my skin and clothes as a skin scent. I like to wear this kind of aroma during the season transition, such as winter to spring, and fall to winter. It is pretty versatile, and it works both day and night, for leisure, and at work either. Absolutely Dark ain’t not so dark, yet is a lekker, and mass pleasing. I've received a lot of unsolicited compliments while wearing it.
I'm describing the sensation I get on a bottle I've owned since October 2023 (BC 32300).
-Elysium
Updated on 10/20/2023
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