En Prise Mind Games 2023

Anyone looking for a perfume that combines pure joy of life with refined elegance will find a true treasure in En Prise by Mind Games. This fragrance is like a warm summer evening gently transitioning into night: zesty, playful, and yet possessing a deep, almost poetic beauty.

The opening surprises with a fresh, citrus-like lightness, interwoven with a hint of spicy ginger-saffron note.

But the true heart of this fragrance, and the reason why I love it so much, is the blackcurrant. It unfolds in the heart note wonderfully clear, juicy, and natural, without coming off as artificial or intrusive. Accompanied by a delicate sugar accord and a soft geranium note, a fruity-sweet harmony emerges that feels both zesty and creamy-soft. The blackcurrant shines here particularly beautifully, vibrantly, gleaming, and irresistibly inviting.
En Prise is a scent for mild spring and summer evenings. Especially when the sun sets and the air becomes a bit softer, its sweet, fruity side becomes particularly seductive. It never feels heavy or opulent, but remains airy, elegant, and made for special moments - whether it’s a dinner under the open sky, a date, or simply an evening when you want to treat yourself.
Gentle, fruity, sweet, and zesty, these four words describe it best. It is a masterpiece of balance: playful enough to bring joy, yet so finely composed that it never feels banal. The dry, woody base of cedarwood, vetiver, and oakmoss rounds it off and gives it an earthy, noble depth.

Unfortunately, there is a small downside: the longevity and sillage do not quite reach the level of a true “beast.” You have to get a little closer to fully enjoy it, and after 6-8 hours, it becomes increasingly intimate. However, this does not detract from the beauty of this fragrance - on the contrary. En Prise is not a loudspeaker, but a whisper that you appreciate all the more the more often you hear it.

Conclusion: An exceptionally well-crafted, modern fruity chypre that impresses with heart and character. Those who love fruity-sweet scents with class and without exaggeration will hardly want to let go of En Prise. Absolutely recommended.

Another review from me on a fragrance from the Soulmate Collection of the American brand Mind Games: En Prise. A great brand, but I have already criticized the price-performance ratio in previous reviews of this brand. At least the MSRP is quite high at a uniform €270 for 100ml, and the fragrance DNA often drifts slightly into the pleasing designer direction. The execution and quality do justice to the niche, but I often miss that special kick in this price range. Sooner or later, there will certainly be suitable offers, especially for the lesser-known fragrances. This En Prise goes in a direction that I really like: relatively fresh opening with sweetness and then becomes somewhat heavier towards the end. Baccarat Rouge is mentioned here as a similar scent. Not really in my opinion, but saffron fragrances with a lot of sweetness are often pushed into this corner. Also, a lot of fruit and bitter notes make this start quite unique, yet still pleasing.

The fragrance comes, as usual, in this cool chess piece bottle, which I really like and fits well with this name. It will certainly look good in any collection.
What I find best about this fragrance is this great top note that impresses with a wonderful spicy saffron note, accompanied by a ginger spice. The fruity-fresh notes of bergamot, orange, and grapefruit also convince with a juicy note that is slightly bitter and herbaceous. It harmonizes wonderfully with this ginger spice, which is well combinable with fruity freshness. The fresh citrus notes also provide a great freshness, which is quite unique with this sweet spice. The sugar note in the heart is very present throughout the entire duration and sweetens this fragrance wonderfully. The citrus notes prevent this note from being pushed too much in the cotton candy direction, but it still gives off a great sweetness. Slightly sour blackcurrant also adds an interesting vibe, while geranium remains very subtle in the background. The base is dominated by dark cedarwood and a nice rounded vetiver base. A few sweet notes also remain and are still perceptible towards the end. It has an interesting note that is somewhat catchy. As I said, I find the top note of this fragrance the best, and the base becomes a bit boring for me. It's still at a good level, but the fragrance does flatten out a bit. Not a top note blender, but in this price range, one should have expectations and aim for perfection.
Performance is really great, and even after 10 hours, this base is still perceptible. The sillage is quite pleasant and not too much, but still well noticeable. It can easily be worn in everyday life, but also in leisure or for the evening. It's already an all-rounder that works throughout the year. Unisex is absolutely justified here, as you get a great mix of citrus, spice, fruit, wood, and sweetness. The mix is well balanced.

Overall, a fragrance that absolutely convinces me with this great top note. The rest of the fragrance flattens out a bit, but is far from being bad or unpleasant. Thus, I give it a half recommendation, also because of this high price.