AromaX

Called "Space Cowboy" by its creator Nicolas Beaulieu this scent features an above 5% overdose of Cosmofruit (an IFF captive that combines the nuances of quince, dried fruit and tarte Tatin) mixed with a fougére accord. Supported with another overdose of clary sage where essential oil adds to an aromatic component of a fougére and absolute gives more ambery tobacco nuance together with sandalwood and coumarinic sweetness.

The first sniff brought Aventus into my mind. Not because it's a smell alike, but due to a similar structure of fruity fougére where pineapple is substituted with a different fruit. I could not recall any fruit from my memory, but it was something dry, a little bit sweet and dark. The fougére part appeared a bit generic at first, with a distinct metal undertone. But the dry down was quite amazing combining dark ambery sweetness of tobacco and leather. The fruity note was still present and it appeared to be so familiar...

Suddenly I got an insight. It reminded me of a juniper berry. Not the oil from the twigs or berries, but the taste of dried berry inside my mouth - dry, a little bit sweet and fruity with a dark tobacco undertone and aromatic touch. It's funny how our perception can work. As at the second attempt I could not smell the separate parts anymore - no generic fougére, no metal nuances. Just that impression of chewing on a juniper berry from the beginning till the end. Interesting how all different aspects have fallen together into an integer image I like.

The Dark Side by Francesca Bianchi reminds me of those guided meditations where you have to enter the cellar of your subconsciousness to meet less known parts of yourself. Spraying it is like entering a basement to follow the smell of wax from the burning candles and a trail of an incense smoke. A place that never has seen the sunlight. Or may be a dark boudoir where the muddy windows are covered with black-out curtains. Lit by the candlelight and infused with the spicy smell of resins mixed with a trail of a honeyed floral nectar. A retro vanity table in the middle reveals you the symbols of your dark side - an old wooden jewel box full of forbidden secrets, a bright red lipstick in a silver case and a porcelain powder box... What do they mean to me? Let's look into the darkness of the mirror to face the dark side.

"Pavlova" is a pink fluffy cloud of transparent muskus decorated with red berries. Not the smell of the "Pavlova" dessert itself, but a sensual representation of it. Strawberry juice, an echo of "Strawberry in cream" (a popular candy from the USSR times) and a layer of sweet and sour jam from red berries. The muskus cloud here is not something I smell. I rather feel its presence as a sense of transparent fullness within the smell. A scene for the berries to play their role. It also remember similar musks as a feeling of pink mist from some aquarel-like perfumes of roses and peonies. An lovely light and airy fragrance...

Je suis un homme, what's in the name? A statement, an expostulation or an entreaty? A tough call for a daily SOTD. A bit aggressive.

A daunting mix of citrus bitterness with a chilling sharpness of metallic edge. Like a sullen look of an unbarbered face. But later on, after a sip of cognac, there is a wam and spicy woody base. It's almost furry. A great prove that there is a cuddly Teddy bear hidden in every man.

I can't smell leather there. At least not convincing enough to recreate its image. But I can easily picture a leather jacket to be the only piece of clothe in the wardrobe of this guy.

A nice illustration of this scent for me is "Je suis un homme" song performed by Maximilien Philippe (originally by Zazie).

It opens like a fresh breeze bringing the smell of rain, wet earth and an intense green scent of foliage after the rain. A light whiff of tropic flowers entwine themselves into the ozonic freshness of the air with the nuances of crushed leaves and wet wood.

A “scented image” is a good name for this collection. To me they are much more “olfactory impressions” than “perfumes”.

According to the creators Dune Road is supposed to be an illustration of:

“Summer walks.
Crisp ocean breeze. Foamy Sand.

Whispers of herbs,
wildflowers & sea grass
from a distance.

Ethereal, captivating
& hazy pleasures.”

Though I recognize the elements from this descriptions in the scent, my own perception of “Dune Road” doesn’t show me much of sea grass and creates the image of a tropical forest after the rain with it’s reach smell of wet soil and sappy green leaves. A similar feeling I get from Fleur de Liane by L'Artisan Parfumeur.

And on the skin… it’s like running back home after mowing the lawn because of the sudden rain.