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I remain convinced of Xerjoff's supremacy
Having only started getting into perfumery little over two years ago, I know I'm late to the party glazing Xerjoff, but frankly, even posthumous praise is well deserved in this instance.
Lira opens with a bright juicy orange and is carried along by its sweet caramel and vanilla base notes, blending into something that reminds me of orange creamsicle or fruit loops (which are flavored with orange blossom water). The lavender top notes add a touch of herbal that helps balance out the sweetness.
As the fragrance evolves, the orange notes get subtler but don't disappear outright. Cinnamon and licorice begin to fill the role of the fading lavender and keeps the sweet caramel in check. All together it smells like a spiced orange confection of some kind.
The base notes, however, are a bit disappointing. They're a bit too sweet, but by the time you're only smelling the base notes, your silliage is not so strong that it becomes cloying.
This fragrance performs well, appropriate for semi-intimate settings like the workplace, and has a similarly appropriate longevity.
Some may find this perfume to be too gourmand for their liking, and I always find that criticism a bit silly. The problem with most gourmands isn't sweetness, but instead poorly balanced sweetness, and Lira is exceptionally well blended. I think it's every bit as immature to turn your nose up at a fragrance with a "sweet" note as it is to refuse to wear anything that doesn't make you smell like a bakery.
Lira opens with a bright juicy orange and is carried along by its sweet caramel and vanilla base notes, blending into something that reminds me of orange creamsicle or fruit loops (which are flavored with orange blossom water). The lavender top notes add a touch of herbal that helps balance out the sweetness.
As the fragrance evolves, the orange notes get subtler but don't disappear outright. Cinnamon and licorice begin to fill the role of the fading lavender and keeps the sweet caramel in check. All together it smells like a spiced orange confection of some kind.
The base notes, however, are a bit disappointing. They're a bit too sweet, but by the time you're only smelling the base notes, your silliage is not so strong that it becomes cloying.
This fragrance performs well, appropriate for semi-intimate settings like the workplace, and has a similarly appropriate longevity.
Some may find this perfume to be too gourmand for their liking, and I always find that criticism a bit silly. The problem with most gourmands isn't sweetness, but instead poorly balanced sweetness, and Lira is exceptionally well blended. I think it's every bit as immature to turn your nose up at a fragrance with a "sweet" note as it is to refuse to wear anything that doesn't make you smell like a bakery.
Greater than the sum of its parts
If you were unaware, apple, strawberry, and rose are all very closely related (all in the rosaceae family) and this is especially evident in this perfume. Their similar genealogy combines in such a fascinating way in perfumery, because they smell so wildly different when apart, but together, their overlapping chemistry dissolves any distinction and blends into a gestalt aroma of its own. While the apple notes are the standout, the whole formulation blends together into something more apple-ish than apples. All together, it's fresh and juicy and sweet, and the opening smells reminiscent of a certain brand of carbonated fruit juice blends I used to buy when I was in undergrad. By the time the fruits are beginning to make an exit, the "pickle" sandalwood become more distinct. While picklewood is often criticized in perfumery, I find that the acrid tinge helps to extend the life of the fruity sourness a little bit further.
The performance of the fragrance is up to par as well. It's not a scent bomb, and is appropriate for an every day casual wear. It has enough longevity to last through a typical 9 to 5.
The performance of the fragrance is up to par as well. It's not a scent bomb, and is appropriate for an every day casual wear. It has enough longevity to last through a typical 9 to 5.
A bit too grassy, not enough mint
Opens with an incredibly faint mint note and some citrus, but these top notes are overwhelmed by the grassy middle notes. For several hours I had to concentrate in order to detect anything other than lawn clippings. As the green notes, begin to fade away, you're left with potpourri-like powdery rose and hedione, which is pleasant, especially in juxtaposition to the grassiness. If you like really green freshies, this fragrance might be worth sampling, but it's not something I could see myself wearing.
Performance is good, in the perfect Goldilocks zone of not-too-overwhelming, not-too-intimate. Just right. Lasts approximately 8-10 hours on my skin.
Performance is good, in the perfect Goldilocks zone of not-too-overwhelming, not-too-intimate. Just right. Lasts approximately 8-10 hours on my skin.
Deconstructed incense
I struggle to detect the marshmallow notes that other have described. Instead, the leather, coffee, tobacco, amber, and rose all blend together in a way that mimics incense perfectly, slowly mellowing out as the heart notes fade into a sweetly vanillic rose undercut with some ambery warmth. The fragrance doesn't evolve dramatically, but I do like how it sweetens out over time. I find that amber fragrances tend to be overpowering, but this amber doesn't demand your attention, allowing the subtler notes to shine.
I have no complaints with the performance. It is long-lasting and has a projection appropriate for semi-intimate settings like the workplace. It could make for a nice everyday wear in the colder weather, if you like amber scents.
I have no complaints with the performance. It is long-lasting and has a projection appropriate for semi-intimate settings like the workplace. It could make for a nice everyday wear in the colder weather, if you like amber scents.
Synthetics may be elusive to some
Wearing this one has been interesting.
On my skin, I cannot detect any of the lactonic notes, and the fragrance is dominated by citrus, ozone, and oakmoss with the faintest floral notes of jasmine. Every other listed note is lost on me. I do have a hard time detecting larger synthetic molecules, and ELDO's over-reliance on them in the fragrance in order to evoke a synthetic science fiction feeling ultimately results in a lot of people just smelling the more traditional notes. If I accept that perfumery is an art, I must also accept that not all art will be accessible to me in full, but it is a bit disappointing to not get the full experience here.
What I do smell is certainly nice- it's a very fresh citrus quite suitable for the summer heat, and it performs very well- I'm shocked at how much longevity the yuzu notes have, as most citruses tend to disappear entirely after drydown. I'm still smelling the top notes 7 hours after application. Generally I can't stand a "beast mode," but this fragrance is very polite and doesn't suck up all of the oxygen room like something along the lines of Le Male Elixir might.
On my skin, I cannot detect any of the lactonic notes, and the fragrance is dominated by citrus, ozone, and oakmoss with the faintest floral notes of jasmine. Every other listed note is lost on me. I do have a hard time detecting larger synthetic molecules, and ELDO's over-reliance on them in the fragrance in order to evoke a synthetic science fiction feeling ultimately results in a lot of people just smelling the more traditional notes. If I accept that perfumery is an art, I must also accept that not all art will be accessible to me in full, but it is a bit disappointing to not get the full experience here.
What I do smell is certainly nice- it's a very fresh citrus quite suitable for the summer heat, and it performs very well- I'm shocked at how much longevity the yuzu notes have, as most citruses tend to disappear entirely after drydown. I'm still smelling the top notes 7 hours after application. Generally I can't stand a "beast mode," but this fragrance is very polite and doesn't suck up all of the oxygen room like something along the lines of Le Male Elixir might.
