BigM101
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BigM101
A powdery portrait, but certainly no masterpiece
A friend got a sample with his latest purchase from Argos and I instantly got reminded of another fragrance, a personal favourite, Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. The opening is a beautiful burst of raspberry, rose, blackcurrent and clove with a lovely smooth musk. As it starts to dry down a powder envelops the scent which scratches my nose, a real handbag powder feel. After the iris has taken over it's hard for me to pick out individual notes and it becomes a slightly floral, slightly sweet, slightly spicy and very powdery scent that goes in a traditionally feminine direction.
Can this really compare to Portrait of a Lady? Not really, it feels like an adaptation that misses the important details. While portrait is dark, mysterious and nuanced Love Triumphs over War is a soft powdery floral cloud. Certainly not for me which is a bit of a shame as I was excited by the notes and imagery. Longevity was also lacking on my skin.
Can this really compare to Portrait of a Lady? Not really, it feels like an adaptation that misses the important details. While portrait is dark, mysterious and nuanced Love Triumphs over War is a soft powdery floral cloud. Certainly not for me which is a bit of a shame as I was excited by the notes and imagery. Longevity was also lacking on my skin.
Not as unbearable and eternal
UPDATE:
I have since purchased an older library bottle as I already had Opus VI and VII so wanted them together. I have to admit after spending more time with it by spraying it on a tester a few times a week and then wearing it again today I found it much more manageable although still not necessary enjoyable to wear. I think it is objectively an incredibly well made fragrance and enjoy having it as a reference, and who know maybe my soon will adapt soon and I'll be brave enough to give it a full wearing. I want to keep my original review here too to show how opinions can change.
Original review:
This is the only fragrance i've smelled that i've had such an extreme negative reaction to. I got none of the sandalwood and leather that I am used to, and got such an extreme smell of fresh poppadoms from the spices and green notes that I found it sickening because oh boy does this assault your nose. Now don't get me wrong I love poppadoms, just not smelling like them for the next two days even after trying to scrub it off.
If this works on your skin and you love the smell then all the more power to you and I wish it worked on me the same way it does on other reviewers. Monster longevity, monster performance, monster smell.
I have since purchased an older library bottle as I already had Opus VI and VII so wanted them together. I have to admit after spending more time with it by spraying it on a tester a few times a week and then wearing it again today I found it much more manageable although still not necessary enjoyable to wear. I think it is objectively an incredibly well made fragrance and enjoy having it as a reference, and who know maybe my soon will adapt soon and I'll be brave enough to give it a full wearing. I want to keep my original review here too to show how opinions can change.
Original review:
This is the only fragrance i've smelled that i've had such an extreme negative reaction to. I got none of the sandalwood and leather that I am used to, and got such an extreme smell of fresh poppadoms from the spices and green notes that I found it sickening because oh boy does this assault your nose. Now don't get me wrong I love poppadoms, just not smelling like them for the next two days even after trying to scrub it off.
If this works on your skin and you love the smell then all the more power to you and I wish it worked on me the same way it does on other reviewers. Monster longevity, monster performance, monster smell.
In a league of it's own
When I was first getting into perfumes I went to all the local shops and smelled as many as I could, having no idea about notes or perfume houses. This was the first one that was like crack to me, I couldn't believe that anything could smell so good! I went through my 3ml sample in less than a week and had to go buy a bottle.
Grand soir ignited the following mania of needing to learn about perfume notes and what different concentrations meant. At the time I couldn't describe the beautiful amber/vanilla combination or the mouth watering spicyness, all I knew was that it was a comforting warm blanket that covered me and lifted my mood in the cold weather. This note combination has become my favourite, but nothing else I have tried invokes the same feeling for me. Even now with a collection thats rapidly grown it stands out in a league of it's own, and the more I experience and learn about different fragrances the more I appreciate this first love.
10/10, a masterpiece.
Grand soir ignited the following mania of needing to learn about perfume notes and what different concentrations meant. At the time I couldn't describe the beautiful amber/vanilla combination or the mouth watering spicyness, all I knew was that it was a comforting warm blanket that covered me and lifted my mood in the cold weather. This note combination has become my favourite, but nothing else I have tried invokes the same feeling for me. Even now with a collection thats rapidly grown it stands out in a league of it's own, and the more I experience and learn about different fragrances the more I appreciate this first love.
10/10, a masterpiece.
A true niche fragrance. Fresh, woody, smooth.
How can you accurately describe Ganymede? All at once it is fresh and ozonic, while also spicy / woody / leathery. To me a niche fragrance should find it's own space and do something different, and nothing else smells like Ganymede. It isn't for everyone, but for those it is it's an instant love.
I don't get the harsh metallic note that others do but I can understand that this can do different things on different skin. Citrus typically doesn't work on my skin and turns sour so I am always looking for alternatives in fresh fragrances. There is smoothness to this fragrance that creates a lovely scent trail, having worn it today multiple people have asked what I'm wearing and where they can get it which doesn't happen often. I'm still picking it up on my skin 9-10 hours later, and smelling it in the air for a good 5 hours.
This is an instant recommendation for me to friends who are getting into niche perfume and want to try something different but hugely appealing. I need to pick up a bottle for myself now!
I don't get the harsh metallic note that others do but I can understand that this can do different things on different skin. Citrus typically doesn't work on my skin and turns sour so I am always looking for alternatives in fresh fragrances. There is smoothness to this fragrance that creates a lovely scent trail, having worn it today multiple people have asked what I'm wearing and where they can get it which doesn't happen often. I'm still picking it up on my skin 9-10 hours later, and smelling it in the air for a good 5 hours.
This is an instant recommendation for me to friends who are getting into niche perfume and want to try something different but hugely appealing. I need to pick up a bottle for myself now!
Fresh sweet cloud, undeniably familiar
I want to start off by saying I don't like calling things dupes, especially when they are adding their own twists, but this is the closest I've ever got. I don't have a lot of experience with BR540 but as soon as a smelt it I made the connection, and a colleague even asked if I was wearing BR540.
I do find this a lot more wearable as I found BR540 too sweet and a bit headache inducing. There is a sticky sweetness that forms a scent cloud but there is a freshness there too with the citrus which makes it feel more unisex. I don't get much from the base notes even in the drydown which is a shame and on my skin there's no spiciness, although this is present on paper so this may be a personal skin issue.
Overall it is a very nice mass appealing scent, which can be an alternative to the BR540 DNA for those wanting something fresher. The quality is certainly there and it has impressive longevity, although I don't see myself reaching for it often.
I do find this a lot more wearable as I found BR540 too sweet and a bit headache inducing. There is a sticky sweetness that forms a scent cloud but there is a freshness there too with the citrus which makes it feel more unisex. I don't get much from the base notes even in the drydown which is a shame and on my skin there's no spiciness, although this is present on paper so this may be a personal skin issue.
Overall it is a very nice mass appealing scent, which can be an alternative to the BR540 DNA for those wanting something fresher. The quality is certainly there and it has impressive longevity, although I don't see myself reaching for it often.
