DB2000

First of all, I would like to thank the person who gave me this bottle. I would never have believed myself that this fragrance would captivate me so much.

If you look at the fragrance notes listed, the concept seems familiar and quite simple: a sweet, gourmand fragrance in which the tonka bean is the main protagonist. So far, so clear. So I took the bottle out of the envelope and put it straight onto my skin.

In the opening, "31 Tonka Bodykon | Pierre Guillaume" begins with a clearly recognizable apple note, while the tonka bean is immediately perceptible in the background. The apple adds a touch of freshness and plays its part in making the fragrance a gourmand through and through right from the start.

After a short time, however, the other notes become more and more prominent, and this is the point at which this seemingly simple perfume really blew me away. It remains slightly fruity, but an incredibly attractive combination of tonka bean and vanilla step into the limelight. Likewise, you can easily perceive a noble alcohol note, and it just works so well with the remnants of apple, almost like a good apple liqueur.

The honey rounds everything off very well with a slightly "sticky" note, and the pistachio adds a slight bitterness. The nuances of the latter in particular can definitely be detected. And together they create a symphony that I find brutally sexy.

"31 Tonka Bodykon | Pierre Guillaume" has an extremely soothing effect on me. I just feel safe when I wear it, and that's why I had to get a full bottle. If this fragrance paints a picture, it would be of a relaxed date night with my better half. It's pleasantly warm, candles light up the room, music by Men I Trust plays in the background and you lose track of time in the fulfilling togetherness. A feeling of security, weightlessness and yet a firm hold.

According to Pierre Guillaume, "Bodykon" is a fusion of the words "body" and "concious", meaning "body-conscious". If you interpret this addition to mean that the fragrance wraps itself tightly around your own body like an aphrodisiac aura, then I have to absolutely agree. The fragrance doesn't have an unnecessarily strong projection, but that's not the concept either. H/S are good, it's just that the fragrance is closer to the wearer, as it is meant to be. I really like such practicality!

"31 Tonka Bodykon | Pierre Guillaume" just does something to me. The drydown in particular is really a dream, and you can tell the quality behind it. The notes are all perceptible in their own right and complement each other perfectly. My tip would be as always - give the fragrance a chance and test it, maybe it's something for you :)

Thanks for reading :)

Elysion - the island of the blessed in Greek mythology. According to the legends, the heroines and heroes who were loved by the Greek gods and given immortality stayed here. To me, this place sounds legendary, mystical, enchanting, mysterious... the fragrance of the same name by Roja Parfums seemed just as mystical to me.

It is no understatement to say that "Elysium Parfum Cologne (Eau de Parfum) | Roja Parfums" is very high up in the discourse when it comes to niche perfumes. At the time of this review, the fragrance from the British perfume house is ranked 18th among men's fragrances.

Some people here in the forum say that the fragrance is an absolute masterpiece, absolutely worth every penny and so on... i definitely can't agree with that.

This review is in no way intended to attack fans of this fragrance, everyone perceives perfumes differently, I am aware of that. However, I would like to subjectively question all the hype surrounding "Elysium Parfum Cologne (Eau de Parfum) | Roja Parfums" (abbreviated to EPC in the following), and would even be happy to enter into an exchange of experiences about the fragrance.

The beginning: EPC starts sharp with a full load of a fruit basket filled exclusively with citrus fruits. Definitely smells high quality in my opinion, authentic in some aspects too. Overall, the opening smells inviting and - good.

The middle: As it progresses, green and floral aspects emerge. To be honest, I find it difficult to pick out individual notes here. Everything is very well blended and appears very harmonious. I think that's how the fragrance was designed. Here, too, I can only say: EPC smells good in the heart note.

The end: In the base of the fragrance, which is also the longest perceptible, EPC finally becomes woody, while the freshness continues to resonate through the heart note. The fragrance even becomes slightly sweet in my opinion. Smells pleasant, and here again - good.

If you have been paying attention while reading, you will have noticed that I use the word "good" a lot to describe this perfume. And all in all, I have to say - yes, EPC smells good. But nothing more. And from now on, I'll be a little more critical of this racer.

Above all, I wonder whether the price is justified. This blue niche fragrance smells good, has a high quality, that may all be true. But is it worth just under €200? For that price, I want to be thrilled. If you just want to smell good and are looking for a similar scent, you can simply go for "Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum) | Chanel", which also has a high quality for a blue fragrance and sometimes costs just under half the price.

But maybe I'm just not smelling something that others are more likely to notice, that could also be the case. That's why I would like to hear what exactly makes this fragrance so special for some people, apart from the fact that it smells good and possibly brings compliments. Maybe "Elysium Parfum Cologne (Eau de Parfum) | Roja Parfums" and I are just not made for each other, and that's okay too.

If someone is worth spending the money on this fragrance because they are so flashed by the DNA, then that's totally okay in my opinion, as I said, we all have a subjective perception here. But I still ask myself - where does the hype come from? In the case of "Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum) | Chanel" I can understand it very well, this fragrance was also created for the mass market, and the DNA fits perfectly. Even for the niche segment, there are blue fragrances that are more creative, such as "Montabaco Verano | Ormonde Jayne" with its tart tobacco note.

But what do you want in the niche segment with such standardized DNA? Is it about prestige? Is it about recognition? Is it about having something seemingly better than others? To put it sharply, I know, I absolutely understand if I get criticized for it. But that's what I want, because I want to understand this fragrance and everything around it.

In conclusion, I don't necessarily need a bottle of "Elysium Parfum Cologne (Eau de Parfum) | Roja Parfums" for the time being. The H/S seems to be good, as does the fragrance profile. Perhaps I will give this fragrance another chance in the future.

Thanks for reading, I look forward to any suggestions and comments :)

Okay - such a great fragrance for so little money? That is remarkable. And I think the "Eau des Baux | L'Occitane en Provence" absolutely deserves its "Hidden Gem" status in the perfume world.

If I had to describe this fragrance with three adjectives, they would be: soft, elegant and deep.

Soft - The blend of all the fragrance notes is perfectly balanced, there is really nothing I would change here. Here, sweet notes come together with spicy, smoky notes and compliment each other so that you simply want to sink into the composition.

Elegant - As just mentioned, the perfume is sweet, but in a way that never makes it seem intrusive or too playful. The line between seriousness and looseness is precisely struck here, which makes the fragrance very flexible to use, especially in cooler times.

Profound - L'Occitane has created something here that I admire. I personally find that cheaper fragrances often lack depth and quality. I find this to be especially true of Lattafa fragrances, and while Lattafa captures the DNA of the original very well, especially in the clones, it still lacks that certain something. In terms of price, Lattafa fragrances and the "Eau des Baux | L'Occitane en Provence" can be compared very well, but in terms of quality, the L'Occitane simply tops most fragrances in its price range.

As described in a previous statement, "Eau des Baux | L'Occitane en Provence" is the fragrance equivalent of a turtleneck sweater for me, and that hasn't changed. In the cooler seasons, the two simply go very well together, and any chic outfit with a turtleneck is perfected by this fragrance.

While the top note fades quite quickly, the drydown with the smoky vanilla lingers all the longer and really comes into its own. I find the H/S to be good here, I have few problems, and the performance matches the fragrance profile well.

If you, dear reader, are looking for a perfume that matches my description exactly, then it's worth trying "Eau des Baux | L'Occitane en Provence"! Here you get a complete package for little money that can keep up with much bigger names.

Thank you for reading :)

What can you say about this fragrance that hasn't already been said? Loved by many, hated by some - that's XerJoff's "Tony Iommi Monkey Special | XerJoff".

The fact that Tony Iommi himself was involved in the creation of this fragrance and contributed his ideas only makes the story of this perfume even more interesting. And this influence is definitely noticeable! Yes, you can almost imagine that the metal veteran himself must have always smelled like this.

The fragrance starts fruity, fresh and boozy. The passion fruit and rum in particular have their solo interlude here, which makes the top note incredibly unique. Personally, I find that the top note varies slightly from batch to batch in the strength of the passion fruit, but that is all within reason. The quintessence of the opening is a brightness that makes the start very pleasant.

The fruity nuance of the fragrance resonates for quite a while in the heart note, where leather and much more patchouli set the pace and bring darkness to the concert of ingredients. Patchouli in particular, as an essential fragrance of the 70s, was very important to Iommy personally, and I think the realization is terrific. It doesn't come across as particularly heavy here, as the combination of all the fragrance notes simply harmonize perfectly. It also doesn't smell old because of the leather, everything is very well coordinated and simply fun.

Right through to the drydown, the performance offered by the perfume is something to enjoy. And thanks to a very persistent H/S with just three sprays, you can also enjoy the show extensively and be enthralled by the olfactory sounds. As the fragrance progresses, everything blends even more and individual aspects no longer dance alone, but join the persistent mosh pit of the base note. The sweet notes take out the darkness again, creating a kind of interplay between light and dark, which I find very creative and artistic.

And I would have expected no less from a fragrance in which Tony Iommy had a hand. As a pioneer of heavy metal music, Black Sabbath has inspired entire generations and the influences are still clearly noticeable today. For me, this fragrance brings the feeling of the 70s, when the band had its big breakthrough, into the present day. With "Tony Iommi Monkey Special | XerJoff", I feel like I can experience the spirit of this groundbreaking musical movement for myself, even though it was all way before I was born.

A must-try in my opinion!

Thank you for reading :)

The "For Him Bleu Noir (Eau de Parfum) | Narciso Rodriguez" is actually the fragrance that really made me love musk. It is often praised by a few internet personalities, and I just don't understand why more people don't do it

For me, it plays in the same league as "Sauvage (Eau de Toilette) | Dior", "Bleu de Chanel (Eau de Parfum) | Chanel" and all the other names, without the clichéd shower gel vibe. What's more, Narciso adds an attractive nuance, but more on that later.

The "For Him Bleu Noir (Eau de Parfum) | Narciso Rodriguez" starts off citrusy and fresh on my skin, while a fluffy musky note already resonates in the background. Together, this results in an accord that appears to be one thing above all - clean and well-groomed, which I really like.

After the short-lived citrus notes have faded, the woody notes and musk are the main protagonists. As a result, the fragrance remains sophisticated, but in my opinion gives it a dark, almost mysterious edge alongside its light radiance.

And this is also the strength of this blue: this contrast makes it absolutely right for everyday use, but it can also be worn for going out and even goes down well there. You could argue that it lacks a bit of playfulness, and I think that's a fair point. But it simply wouldn't suit this creation, as it would lose a certain sophistication.

H/S on my skin are good, more than sufficient for a university/workday as well as an evening. You always look professional, neat, never too serious and like you have a plan for what you're doing, even if that's not the case.

I find the bottle a feast for the eyes. The dark blue rim and the opaque interior look incredibly classy and fit the fragrance like a glove.
The wearer is perceived in the same way by others:
One recognizes the clear, clean exterior, but at first glance the person is not immediately transparent and mysterious. There is this attractive element that remains hidden until you get to know them better and makes the person so interesting.

Do you need "For Him Bleu Noir (Eau de Parfum) | Narciso Rodriguez" if you already own another blue one? Certainly not necessarily, but as a professional all-rounder, it is not out of place in any collection, especially due to the beautifully attractive nuances of the musk. And Narciso Rodriguez simply knows how to do that!

Thank you for reading! I look forward to your opinion :)