Lost in a Dream Navitus Parfums 2023 Extrait de Parfum

I was almost hoping for a dupe for Blanche Bête, as many compare it to that on Fragrantica. "Blanche Bête - Eau de Peau | Liquides Imaginaires" is notoriously very expensive, so an alternative would not have been uninteresting for me. So, I acquired a sample of "Lost In A Dream | Navitus Parfums" through a sharing.

Now to the most important point for me: Can it replace or even surpass Blanche Bête? Unfortunately, for me, the answer is no. I applied both side by side to have a direct comparison. But Blanche Bête is simply unbeatable for me; everything feels perfectly balanced, the sandalwood in the base is soft and never scratchy. I find it hard to describe the exact difference; for me, Blanche Bête is rounder, warmer, brighter. Lost in a Dream unfortunately has a slightly piercing facet that I can't overlook.

To be honest, I don't really pick out the described croissant note, but I can guess which one it is supposed to be. At first, I mainly smell Hundred Silent Ways Extrait de Parfum mixed with a bit of "Blanche Bête - Eau de Peau | Liquides Imaginaires"
Later, a bit of "Oud for Greatness | Initio" joins in the background. After about an hour, it becomes hardly perceptible to me. Either I've become nose-blind or it's really not as long-lasting as hoped. I think anyone who likes Nishane - 100 Silent Ways and Oud for Greatness will also like this one, but I will stick to the sample for now and maybe eventually get the white beast :)

Edit: Okay, somehow I felt guilty leaving this fragrance as I described it. The comparison to Blanche Bête is there, but I don't think one can say that if you have one, you don't need the other. I gave it another chance and must say that I find it better and better. I now also own Milk by Commodity, which it is often compared to, but for me, Lost in a Dream is significantly more complex and lasts longer (even though I have Milk Bold). The synthetic, slightly scratchy note is something you either have to like or tolerate, but this facet is only present at the beginning. Instead, you get a creamy, milky, cloud-like sillage throughout the day that caresses you and clings extremely well to clothing. Those who seek that will love the fragrance, even if the promised croissant note is not distinctly detectable. I'm even at the point where I would consider getting the fragrance!