3lbows

It's strange how time rushes past you. You stroll slowly through the pedestrian zone between addrett bearded people in their mid-thirties (or twenties?) with pomaded quiff cuts and feel overtaken by electric scooters, TikTok, ChatGPT, GenZ and the turn of the century. You think - just a moment ago I was the university graduate, about to offer the professional world your most productive years, and then the CEO visiting the customer is surely 10 years younger than you and the people on the bus start to stand up for you.

When the hell did all this happen! Almost 40 years of slumber in the land of the economic miracle and then: BAM - pandemic, raw materials crisis, war, turning point.
Everything everywhere and at once, and you: right in the middle of it all, just as out of place (or rather out of time) as Patrick Stewart and the rest of the Picard cast.
Your year of birth is as far removed from the Weimar Republic as it is from LGBTQ+. You find out what really makes people tick and think you've grown up in a different world: cold, polarized, resigned. And just when you feared that with the never-ending superhero adaptations, interrupted at best by Transformers, the film industry would be greeted by the groundhog into the unforeseeable, Disney pushes one disembodied Star Wars iteration after another into the streaming ether.

May you live in interesting times - thank you, Merkel!

What does this have to do with Kalan? This fragrance DNA in general, and Kalan in particular, condenses for me the feeling and mood that I tried to describe in the introduction and admittedly - out of topic.
There is an aromatic, leathery, synthetic base note, surrounded by fruity notes. Yes, the blood orange is prominent, as is the spiciness of the pepper. However, the composition strikes me as inorganic, alienating and - although definitely spicy - rather cold. This is a combination of things that don't belong together or don't occur together in nature - except perhaps when you drive over an orange immediately after changing a tire. But don't get the wrong idea: The concept is coherent and well-crafted, and the raw materials are of a high quality. Perfume as an expression of fragrance creativity and freedom beyond natural constraints and social conventions. It worked with salty caramel. And it works here too, because Kalan doesn't smell bad - just outside the drawers that my olfactory brain has reserved for perfume. Kalan is neither spicy oriental nor fougere. There is nothing clean or soapy here, nothing cologne-like fresh or ambery gourmand, nothing powdery, nothing animalic, nothing classically "perfumey", and yet the wearer is perceived as pleasantly scented.

In my perception, the drydown fluctuates between slightly sweet and bitter/tart, almost as if it contained saffron. I can understand comparisons with Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum as well as Instant Crush or Spirito Fiorentino, as they all play different instruments in the same orchestra. The medicinal, leathery base note, which in Kalan's case is almost scratchy due to the pepper, is common to all of them. It's not for nothing that this saffron DNA is currently one of the most dubbed fragrance compositions (especially BR540) and practically omnipresent in every German shopping mall after 12:50 pm.

If you want to stand out in the queue for the new sneakers, Kalan is a good choice, as it is far enough removed from BR540 to set its own accents and is also suitable all year round with its fruitiness. There is also no lack of radiance and longevity: applied just before the office, then quickly slipped into the ankle-free slim-fit training pants in the afternoon, the helicopter dad still earns the appreciative glances of like-minded men even after 8 hours at the daughter's cheer dance performance. That's the way it has to be.
Kalan accompanies you all day, all year round - more casual than smart and more extroverted than for an intimate date but otherwise really versatile, except perhaps for the Patrick Stewart generation - for which he lacks seriousness and class.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that with this DNA, as well as the completely different but equally leathery-synthetic direction that e.g. Ganymede Eau de Parfum, a turning point has also dawned in the fragrance business, which will make later generations of perfumers ponder "1 Million (Eau de Toilette) | Paco Rabanne" and Sauvage Eau de Toilette in a similarly sentimental way as my generation did about Kouros and Cool Water.
Well, apparently I have to learn this DNA or keep wearing Sauvage. At least I won't be accused of being mystream any time soon. Because, in my opinion, it's being properly overhauled right now.
Incidentally, this review was written without the help of artificial intelligence. At most, I googled something. I'm still from yesterday.

The ones at ZARA publish like savages - mainly dupes and/or mostly well made, the names also chosen in a nice hip way so as not to underload the search function at Parfumo.

Certain basic themes are repeated, so that you often have the feeling that you have smelled one or the other fragrance at Zara before. That's how I feel about "#Tobacco Collection - Rich/Warm/Addictive | Zara" , Warm Black , TOB/03 Tabac-Treasure - not identical but using the same tobacco-warm-fruity framework.

On the other hand, ZARA gives you the opportunity to get a taste of the big brands without having to invest a heap of money - 100ml bottlings, if you will.

You often have to be quick, as the Spaniards rotate their productions faster than the German government rotates its plans to replace the heating system. This happened to me recently with Coastal Salty Forest - yesterday in the watch list, today nowhere to be found.
By the way, the performance of most Zara fragrances is no less fleeting - there has to be a catch somewhere.

Are they really so full of creativity, or is this simply Zara's business model to generate customer panic?

The statements or reviews of Zara fragrances are full of references to the copied originals. From Aventus in countless iterations to Tobacco Vanilla and Imagination to Alexandria II, you can find all kinds of posh stuff in a not-so-bad discount bottle. That's not a sign of inventiveness, is it?
As a perfume fanatic, do we even need to test the ZARAs, or do we know one and therefore all of them?

With so many releases, there are always exceptions that make you go "Oh, that's from Zara?". Try TOB/02 Tobacco Tango, for example! And then, of course, there are also original compositions by well-known perfumers such as Jo Malone's "Zara Emotions N°01 - Vetiver Pamplemousse (Eau de Parfum) | Zara", so there's not necessarily a lack of class at Zara - not in terms of price/performance anyway.

My latest Zara aha-experience was Somewoody, especially since I didn't know Alex II.
Everyone who has read the statements about Somewoody knows that it smells like Alex. But what does it smell like to someone who doesn't know the former?
Like many Zaras, Somewoody starts off synthetic-alcoholic, almost scratchy. But this quickly subsides and it remains a milky-creamy amber fragrance, woody, somewhat sweet, with fresh nuances. This woody freshness remains throughout the entire, very successful drydown, surrounded by white flowers, before fading into a musky aura that is close to the body. Incidentally, the lavender mentioned in the notes is well hidden in the fragrance pyramid. At least I couldn't find it.
The performance is in the upper range of the Zara portfolio: it certainly lasts for 6 hours, even if it never really radiates powerfully, but for me this is more of a reason to buy it than an obstacle, as it can be used in a much more versatile way.
As I said, I can't draw any comparisons with Alex, but I do see parallels with № 02 - L'Air du Désert Marocain Eau de Toilette Intense, although the spicy elements in Somewoody are much more delicate, and with the woody freshness of Imagination, although here it is completely unfruity.

Somewoody is a warm, bright and pleasant daytime fragrance, a classic evergreen, unagitated - almost harmless, but still special, as this DNA is (still) relatively unspent. Somewoody is not "Look what I've got in my pants", but "Come on, let's chat over a cozy coffee".
The only thing that spoils my overall experience is the synthetic quality that I find in almost all Zaras. I sometimes even have the feeling of a sour taste on my tongue - subjective, admittedly, but still present. However, this effect subsides in the drydown and so I can only recommend anyone to invest 16 euros to get to know this DNA and find out whether they can live with it. It is definitely worth it.

Tim is a tennis player. Even at school, his parents dressed him in brand-name clothes, and that was before helicopter parenting. White and yellow Nike sweaters - they could afford to wash them every day. Of course, they also bought him a year of high school in the States. Today he works there as a doctor, has two perfectly brought-up children who in turn look forward to a promising career, drives a retro 911 for the sake of his German roots, and - still plays tennis.
Tim smells like Elysium.
Clichés - no matter how bigoted - are great for embedding scent associations. When I first sprayed on Elysium, I immediately felt transported to this scenario. A well-groomed dentist, shaved, pleasant and unassuming, a guy like Hendrik Streeck, bends over the patient on the treatment table. His head covers the operating light, the pleasant whiff of his colognes is perceptible. He's not wearing a space-filler, a la Sauvage, nor a citrus hairstyle by Chanel. No, Elysium is fruity-woody understatement at its purest. The pyramid reads like the Beijing phone book, a complex bouquet of diverse notes that can be found in one form or another in many summer fragrances, arranged by Roja Dove like a schoolmaster into a harmonious whole. In the first half, the fruity notes dominate. If I had to settle on one dominant component, it would be grapefruit, but as I said, this potpourri is too complex to reduce to one theme. In the drydown, Elysium ramps up increasingly woody facets. Together with vetiver and a hint of leather, we get the much-cited pencil shavings, which once again underscores the fragrance's claim to luxury. However, the fruitiness is never completely lost in the drydown. Taken on its own, none of its facets is new or unique, but the fragrance is so coherently composed that one has the impression that one is standing in front of a total work of art that is more than the sum of its parts. Someone here knew exactly how they wanted the end result to smell before they got to grips with the components. Kudos for that.
Elysium is by no means a fragrance just for snobs. On the contrary, the DNA is incredibly versatile - from sports to office to evening wear - everything in it, although in their impression a level higher than designer fragrances with similar intentions. A good feeling of sovereign calm, which actually should not come from a perfume, but rather from yourself. But, if it helps? Still, Elysium never plays to the fore, always remaining more aura than statement. This is precisely why, despite its price, the fragrance appeals to a wide audience. Durability and sillage are equally perfectly suited to its appearance. Never too much is rarely too little.
Many reach for alternatives like Supernova or Supernova Cologne. Although the two come very close to the fragrance experience of the Roja, especially perceived at a distance, they do not capture its soul. They are more potent - yes - but the DUAs seem rougher, more effort, and also less complex, and are - extrapolated to 100ml - no real bargains.
That leaves Higher Energy. Dior picks up the theme sensitively and also moves close to that grapefruity DNA, but is too quick on the skin to be a real alternative.
I can't comment on differences from Elysium Edp, but if Supernova is a hermaphrodite of Parfum Colognes and Parfume, then this is probably just a denser, richer version, but then it certainly loses versatility.
Who takes about 3 greens for a Parföng in the hand, one is certainly well served with Elysium. Who this fragrance does not appeal, with which I would like to play tennis.

As a perfumo, you spend a lot of time researching fragrances, and so before the arrival of the eagerly awaited filling often builds up an equally differentiated and detailed expectation, which is then not infrequently bitterly disappointed
Not so with Orage .
Cooling mist in the tropical forest, they said.
Like hot asphalt shortly after a downpour, they said.
The tense scent just before a thunderstorm, they have said.
And so it came to pass. What is offered here to a 4D head cinema, is already enormous. There are many perfumes that are able to depict moments or materials photorealistically. LV's Orage is for me but the undefeated king in this Diziplin.
Petrichor - to summarize and simplify, you could say the scent that the first raindrops release from the ground after prolonged drought, as well as ozone, the smelly gas that is produced by electrical discharges in the thunderstorm air increased, create this typical scent of an upcoming storm (French: Orage), which probably knows each of us. Next to freshly mown grass, which I also perceive in this perfume by Louis Vuitton, although not as prominent as in Sur la Route, for me one of the defining smells of my childhood.
Jacques Cavallier manages to skillfully compose patchouli - until now actually known to me more as a fixative component in somewhat heavier fragrances like Guerlain's l'instant de guerlain pour homme - into a sparkling-fresh, even electrifying melange that captures precisely this aforementioned olfactory experience.
Although the fragrance is not without hesperidia (in this case, grapefruit and bergamot), these are only supporting players, as the freshness is clearly carried by patchouli, supported by vetiver and yes - a good dose of ISO-E Super. The result is an intense experience similar to the dip in's water after a spirited jump from the 10er.
In the drydown Orage remains light woody and green - no trace of the mustiness that patchouli is so often said. Only the ISO-E seems to last a little longer than the other components. Especially the citrusy notes are now barely perceptible, so that the late base becomes a bit more scratchy, but never really discordant or unpleasant.
Because of this, Orage may seem a bit synthetic to some, though the closeness to nature of the scent's motif means that this sentiment doesn't register with me. Generic, ordinary, or unspecial, Orage is not at all. Although the fragrance is not really complex and is rather linear, the composition seems high-quality because of the ingredients used.
Basically Orage is a summer fragrance, suitable for many occasions, from office to leisure. Maybe not exactly for the evening dress, but so be it - allowed is what pleases. Versatile it is, and also durability and projection fit. A working day is perceived with it easily over an arm's length. More I need as Ü40 also no longer.
Vetiver Patchouli is probably the closest to the Vuitton, but it lacks the citrusy notes, so that the Montale a tick more musty and earthy, and also the quality is not on par with Orage. If you like the direction in general, you should give L'Homme Idéal Cool another unbiased try. Not only does its pyramid share some core ingredients with Orage. The Guerlain adds almond sweetness and mint to the theme, typical of the Homme Ideal line, which fits the DNA perfectly. The photorealistic thunderstorm association is lost, however.
Price / performance is a vexed subject. I can only say this much: who is willing to put money in hand for Orage, and to whom the direction appeals, will not be disappointed in any respect. But it certainly makes sense to fill the fragrance before.

After I have now already virtually all Hommes Idéales know- and mostly also appreciate, and although they look like the Power Rangers lined up next to each other in the bathroom shelf, I would like to complete my statement to the green but still with a few words.
I've made it easy for myself at the time, and it as scratchy refreshed L'Homme Idéal Eau de Toilette dismissed, which, however, does not do it justice. Now that I'm almost through the 10ml bottling, I'd even say that it serves a niche for which I see few alternatives per se. L'Homme Idéal Cool reminds me of classic US barbershop-inspired aftershaves, such as "Green After Shave | Don Draper / Dapper Dan" , with its minty cool freshness and spicy sweetness only lightly hinted at by anise, and yes - Listerine. The signature almond of the Homme Idéale line fits perfectly into the concept and puts its unmistakable stamp on the fragrance. The fact that the green Power Ranger is fighting with Batman (Sauvage Eau de Toilette ) in the Ambroxan superhero league doesn't bother me personally, because that's exactly what adapts it to the zeitgeist, but at the same time leaves it with a distinctly masculine gruffness, which I expect from a fresh, somewhat more mature men's water. Ambroxan is not overdosed here anyway, and it must not always be leather or woods.

In short, for me, L'Homme Idéal Cool is a classic men's fragrance, stylishly alienated and modernized, due to its restrained performance compared to other Ambroxankeulen best suited to the office, but not as soft as "H24 | Hermès" or verblümelt like Century .