17Police11

An old, abandoned church in the middle of an overgrown fir forest, shortly after a rain shower. This is exactly the image Sancti evokes.

The opening is fresh and citrusy, but gives way fairly quickly to a pronounced fir note. The transition is pleasantly smooth, almost incidental, so you never feel overwhelmed, but instead glide organically into the second phase.

Incense accompanies the fragrance from beginning to end, but remains too restrained overall for my taste. It in particular could have given the fragrance more depth and that certain "crypt-like" church atmosphere promised by the name.

Unfortunately, longevity is the greatest weakness: Sancti does not have much radiance even at the beginning, and after a few hours, only a faint skin scent remains. Considering the price, that is simply disappointing.

Conclusion: A beautifully conceived atmospheric fragrance with a coherent development, but one that remains too weak both in incense intensity and performance to justify its price.

Carolina Herrera's Bad Boy Cobalt Elixir does not reinvent the wheel, but it does not have to, because that is precisely its strength.

The fragrance opens with a strong, prominent, spicy and very peppery note that is there immediately without seeming overpowering. It strikes the perfect balance between too much pepper or spice and a sharpness that is too weak.

As it develops, many woods come to the forefront, but they do not push the pepper into the background.

In the base, a warm, sweet, but not overly overpowering vanilla unfolds, creating perfect harmony between spicy and sweet. However, it does not appear immediately, but develops slowly.

The fragrance can be worn for any occasion (except sports), because it is prominent enough without being overpowering.

Bad Boy Cobalt Elixir is not a rule-breaker that wants to do everything differently, but that is precisely what makes it special and, in my eyes, damn good.