Duftfreund11

I had the shower gel for a long time, but I only used it rarely, more like when I allowed myself a truly indulgent care. I liked this unusual scent, somehow like this black and white bread cream, velvety and floral, subtly on the skin. The packaging in its black plastic with silver lettering was simply an invitation like "only for certain hours." Generally, I didn’t think often about the fragrance.
Last autumn, I went on a short trip to England, Portsmouth, to visit the royal navy museum. I love the sea and everything related to it. I absolutely wanted to see the submarines. I find them simply fascinating. The elegance, the mysteriousness, the technical precision, just wonderful. The idea of just stopping by for two hours didn’t stick. I spent the whole day there, only in the submarine area. By the late afternoon, my brain was so full that only a winding down at the beach felt right. The sea smelled, people enjoyed their after-work with tea or grilled, others did sports. Despite the crowd, everyone had their space. Everyone respected the social rules, acted respectfully at a pleasant volume, just great. As the sun set, I made my way back to the hotel. Passing many still blooming plants, I held the lavender to my nose, it was powerful and sharp, fresh, energizing. At home, there was only the jump into the soft, smooth, white sheets,
The next day, well-rested, at the breakfast table: In front of me, sweet, hearty English breakfast, coffee, and orange juice. A breakfast like you only have on vacation. The wind from the sea blew in through the open door and suddenly... quite suddenly I knew which scent shot through my thoughts. This le soir by Caron. It was that sharp lavender, that powerful elegance of the submarines in its presentation (oak), that softness, almost creamy snugness of the sheets (iris, vanilla).
At home, it was clear, please order the perfume and the shower gel.
Today, I really enjoy using the perfume. The interesting thing for me is that it is the only scent that actually stays on my skin for eight hours, without me perceiving it on the clothing for that long. In this form, one could say that the respectful behavior of people in England has remained or simply a very seductive Silent Hunter :) .

The first thought upon first detecting it: Wow!, where did the soy sauce from the Chinese takeout end up here?!

The second thought: Finally, a plant-based vanilla. Absolutely elegant. Zero sweetness, zero gourmand.

The synthetic aspect is a serious idea, considering that it is supposed to compare to a soft bomber jacket. Since almost every piece of fabric nowadays contains polyester anyway, I can totally understand that.
However, there is a differentiable situation behind it. The smoke that burns in the eyes, the finely oiled wood on the floor, and the vanilla scraped from the pod.
A room where stories are created, thoughts expressed, and people interact. A warm room, shielded from the damp cold winter outside the window. A room that has experienced a lot. Just recently, someone was smoking. The floor, prepared for the dance evening, has already absorbed much sweat and energy. The ladies had taken their furs and coats yesterday, leaving a hint of their perfume in the air. The room between yesterday and today. Where time stands still, between what was and what will come again.

It reminds me a bit of confident oud, which I really like. Only what is the dry wood from the sawmill there, is revealed here in the oiled herringbone floor.
Over time, a spicy (naturally sweet) vanilla remains under clouds of smoke.

Thus, we are far away from the bomber jacket and any notion of modern mainstream.
Exhilarating?!....sure, but different.
I am glad to have finally found a vanilla for myself.
Try it if you want to smell vanilla from a different perspective.

Over time, I developed a desire for a rose scent on neutral green-gray moss. I wanted a rose fragrance. Rochas Moustache was good and a summer bomb of radiance, but I wanted something more wearable in the long run.
The consultant at the Osmothek introduced me to Exit the King, among others, although I was initially ambivalent, as it smelled of old roses, yet somehow had an addictive quality on my wrist. I forgot about it again until it stubbornly came back to my mind.
So, my first impression of ELDO was quite dismissive. I thought these stories were terrible and completely uninteresting. Moreover, they distorted my imagination, preventing the perfume from having a neutral effect on me. On the other hand, it was another step for me into niche perfumery. The marketing gimmick with the stories seemed to work, and the artistic freedom actually drives the creation of wearable yet artistic perfumes quite well.
So, the Christmas offer was hard to resist, and I ordered: Exit the King plus 30ml Une Amourette for free.
As so often in life, I was too hasty and needed to let things unfold.
The first impression was: roses in cheap plastic cellophane, laid on a moss potpourri. Just like what usually leans around the checkout in supermarkets. The rose was good, but the plastic was just yuck, and I thought, well, this was more of a dud.
The second association two weeks later was the old rose soap in Grandma's bathroom, maybe also somewhat like a cleaning product for the toilet floor. As silly as it sounds, however, from that point on, the details became clearer and the scent more intriguing. Foam appeared... effervescent bath foam. In the dry down, moss comes through, interspersed with deep patchouli. I must say, only when I know how the individual components smell can I recognize and name them. I should probably do some exercises with my essential oils again ;) .
My third association was indeed the velvety red cloak of the king. Recently, I was at the caricature museum in Krems. Manfred Deix, one of the greatest caricaturists in the country, has his permanent exhibition there. He was a chain smoker and a cat lover. In his heyday, he and his wife supposedly kept 80 cats at home. There is a picture of him, called the Cat King. This is perfect for this perfume. It shows a black tomcat with a blue-green tie (representing the aldehydic and soapy) in a royal cloak (the roses and the moss). The tomcat has a smoking cigarette (the foam) in its mouth and a crown on its head. The character of a cat also reflects the elegance of this perfume. Due to its purity-bathing character, this scent makes me feel quite "dirty" in the sense of being rather sharp :) .
I don't think I would have approached the theme of Exit the King this way, but it has power, and the execution is no less successful. The fall of oneself, the king, breaking old beliefs, notions, expectations, character patterns to allow something new and unknown to emerge... which sensitive person wouldn't be interested in that? And as negative as it sounds at first to have a scent that underscores the fall, it is all the more powerful and positive when you discover the strength that helps bring forth the new.

I receive positive compliments from all genders. It lasts well for 8 hours.
..oh, and by now I would actually call it my signature scent.

I have fallen to rise. Meow!

I was once again on the hunt. This time for a fougère that doesn't smell eternally old. And at some point, something with clove would be great. After ordering a birthday gift for a friend from Caron, I couldn't help but browse through the product range further.
Aromatic-leathery is how it's advertised, there are good comments in the forum, and the notes could be promising. I thought this might be the one for me and ordered it.

The bottle is beautiful, with a white plaque, the roughness of which captures the character of the fragrance quite accurately.
The first sniff reveals something unfamiliar. The scent is described with incredibly many facets, and I agree with that.

It is like black velvet, a leather glove, a shadow that is always behind you and is sometimes light, sometimes infinitely dense. A wall of creamy clove.

I think the advertising campaign with the 3rd man didn't quite hit the mark, as they never really managed to describe what the connection is, yet I believe the idea was well executed. I think of the cover of James Bond Spectre...Bond with a clear, impenetrable gaze, the white tuxedo jacket with the red clove, in the background the masked figure as a shadow.

It starts with a depth of leathery lemon, possibly with dark lavender, then comes a coriander that sometimes unfolds a lovely green, but sometimes just stays put and waits for the clove to charm its way in. Time and again, a veil of vanilla seems to appear, making it an incredibly beautiful creamy clove, right up to the last accord.

I love this fragrance. It ranks in my top 3. It lasts long, never feels artificial, and maintains a pleasant sillage, so some perfumes could take notes from it.

It is not a go-getter, not a businessman, not a dreamer.
It is simply your shadow, accompanying you wherever you are and as profound as you are yourself.

Mooses swings his blue boat to the dock, untangles a few ropes and the net, and steps onto solid ground. In his once white shirt, he draws the attention from the fancy lounge across the way. Piercing eyes behind feminine sunglasses, piercing him with a hint of longing and uncertain rejection (yuzu and amber). Only the Bossa Nova version of cures lullaby whispering the secret thoughts of the guests from the speakers.
Mooses is not bothered by it; he has gained an additional skin over time. A skin of citrusy exoticism, no European bergamot standard, something more distant, something yuzu. But behind it lies an earthy, brown protective layer. An amber that reminds of the sea and wild whales, distant and awe-inspiring.
In the end, there remain lichens of moss that slowly dissolve depending on the length of wear and sweat exposure, scattering with the wind and water.


I know the yuzu violet combo from eau de cartier and quite like it. The amber effect feels very supportive of the masculine side, but I think it’s also worth a test for women and can bring surprises.
Yuzu and amber are probably the dominant pair. However, yuzu is likely accompanied by nutmeg. I cannot separate the amber from the patchouli; deep earthy brown probably describes it best. Behind it lies the moss, which allows the amber to have a really pleasant access for those, like me, who are a bit cautious about amber. The moss also makes it suitable for daily use for work and leisure.
With a quick sniff, it can be quite aquatic, which actually only gives it freshness.
I simply feel safe and always correctly "dressed" with it.
Mancera advertises it as a skinscent, and that’s exactly what it is. It lays on the skin and supports wherever it can. The longevity is once again fantastic.