Annenas

Eau de Lierre is linear, quiet, and elegant, deep green and beautifully mystical. At first sniff, I felt it lacked depth. The ivy water is exactly that - an infusion of the darkest ivy leaves, or as if one were rubbing their fingers over the waxy leaves and then holding them under their nose.
The scent has that cool, clear aura that ivy often exudes and makes me think of Victorian architecture, overgrown marble floors, and dark linen. On my skin, the ivy water unfolds completely without the associated rash and surprisingly accompanies me throughout the day.
The sillage remains close to the skin - you really have to lean in to get a whiff. But with every sniff, I am rewarded with the wonderfully photorealistic image of ivy, which eventually develops into an elegantly cool, slightly woody breeze.
Whenever I wear Eau de Pierre, I feel like a covert witch in everyday life. As if the ivy were turning its leaves towards me as I walk by, as if I were breathing deeper in the rain and enchanting the people around me on the train with a quietly knowing smile.
In short: not all fragrances need to be exciting at first sniff to find a lasting place in my fine little collection.

In Forest Riot, my childhood in the Black Forest meets my favorite vacations in the Scandinavian winter. The scent is exactly what it says on the label: forest. A bit less riot than expected, actually more like softly whispering conifers with a breezy, rustling opening.
Whenever I wear it, my partner always grins around the corner and shouts "Riotttt!"

Unfortunately, the loud green part only lasts a short while. After that, you get a very photorealistic needle-like skin scent that lasts about two hours. In wool clothing, it is absolutely stunningly beautiful.

I wear it whenever I want to escape the rainy life in Hamburg. And I interpret all the coniferous forests of the world into it.

And I think Forest Riot deserves a review. Because even though it is very fleeting, I find that for €40, it's okay for the (very pretty!) bottle, as it is the only forest scent that captures that very special blend of ethereal perfection and rough nature without any additional scratchy incense.

Plea concluded. I love it very much and the new bottle is already ordered.

Light and radiant, the fragrance presents itself - the bottle made of high-quality glass with a simple label is ton-heavy. Everything speaks of 'understated' elegance and French chic.
Neroli Oranger softly and brightly envelops the skin. Initially fresh, then increasingly soft, but never entirely without a green undertone.
At first, Ylang and Bergamot give the fragrance a citrusy opening, yet Neroli is always present. However, it is more in its clean, light facet and only with a very subtle, ethereal sweetness.
Somewhere lies a fresh green beneath the fragrance, which makes it appear very elegant and modern. 'Clear' is, I believe, the right word for it.
Towards the end, a light yet enduring musk caresses - a specialty of Matiere Premiere. On me, the fragrance lasts several hours with astonishing sillage for such a light scent. Even a day later, I catch a delightful whiff from my hair.

Neroli Oranger smells to me like sun on the skin and a breezy linen shirt, whose elegance simply stems from the high quality of the fabric. The wearer exudes confidence and possesses an untouchable style.

Definitely worth a test. Matiere Premiere offers individual samples for €5 for all fragrances. Not exactly cheap, but shipping is free, and part of the purchase is credited towards a bottle. For me, this lovely piece will be joining my collection sooner or later.

Green, heavy, and high-quality, the fragrance lies in my hand. The Venetian merchant grins at me, his English barely understandable, colored by his thick accent. I curse my lack of Italian skills once again, although my excessive Brunettitling has taught me that Venetian and school Italian are definitely different things. I run my fingers over the pattern on the bottle and watch the swirling reflections of the sun. I am far too in love with the moment to not take it with me. Finally out of the somewhat getting-used-to smell of the lagoon in the sun, I stand in the wind a bit further along the coast. Today was our last day in Venice, and I hope to somehow capture the feeling. To save the moment for bad times. I briefly enjoy the incredibly fine spray mist and take a deep breath.

The first impression of Dalmatian Sage is incredibly citrusy and fresh. Bitter grapefruit peel underlined by green bitter notes. Then more and more pepper, even nutmeg joins in. The fragrance becomes greener, a bit softer. More and more woods join in, along with the hint of faux oak moss that so many men’s fragrances have now. Very classic and noble, but somehow... Where is the sage? The bitterness fades, the freshness is just a brief companion. I feel warm again, the wind dies down. Dearest Dalmatian Sage, you are undoubtedly a wonderful fragrance. But somehow you’ve missed the mark a bit. You are elegant and cool, affluent, definitely an old-fashioned Venetian merchant. Or a merchant woman. But not what I was looking for.

I let my gaze wander over the horizon and the sea beneath me. Next to me, the grasses sway in the wind, tugging at my hair, swirling the curls around my head and driving the first snowflakes over the cliffs.

Irish Leather is the end of my nose blindness, or the beginning of something new. I haven't written a review in a long time, tested much less, and participated in discussions. Somehow, I have missed the Aha moment that my favorite fragrances evoke in me when I wear them for the first time. Irish Leather gives me this wonderful feeling even on the 30th wear.

On my skin, the fragrance begins with a strong breeze of spicy juniper, carried by pepper and sage. There’s something wild, fresh, and a special kind of class that runs through the entire scent. I attribute this to the leather, which becomes wonderfully herbaceous through the mate tea. Gradually, iris and leather reveal themselves, intertwined around a sprig of juniper. This is where the magic of the fragrance begins for me. Although the notes are rather heavy, the scent remains light and elegant. A wind sweeps through the clothes, hair, and over the skin, leaving behind the smell of wild nature, rush grass, birch, and amber.

Irish Leather gives me confidence from the first spray to the last hint of tonka on my coat, the collar of which I have turned up against the snow. This fragrance makes me think of vastness, of the view over a stormy sea, of hikes on narrow paths through rolling dunes. I believe that is what makes me happiest about this scent right now: the freedom to dream.