Frostlicht

What has happened so far:
This review has been sitting in my drafts for several weeks now. Why? Because from my perspective, everything has already been said about the fragrance, and I don't want to bore anyone with possibly redundant scent impressions.
However, since I do not endorse waste, I am posting it anyway.

So now we come to the actual topic of this review. Babycat.

As soon as a fragrance is excessively hyped, I develop a considerable antipathy that creates such a strong rejection that I don't even want to test the hyped scent. I don't even want to talk about it
I won't elaborate further on the topic of hypes on YouTube, Insta & Co. at this point.
Let's just say: I was skeptical and dismissive of Babycat in proportion to its hype factor.
To make matters worse, many compare the scent to Rosendo No. 5, which further deterred me - because I now find the Rosendo terribly synthetic and piercing.
And to pay so much money for that? Um, nope.

I confess openly: I was somewhat the Grumpy Cat regarding Babycat.

Did I eventually test Babycat?
Maybe :)
A dear perfume friend has had the little kitten as a pet for a while and regularly raved to me about how cuddly it is. However, I stubbornly grumped on.
After several months and many, many (many!) test offers from her, I finally agreed to a sample swap and received a sample. Thanks again for the nudge

(...is she finally getting to the point with her review...?)

How did my first test go?
In the opening, I smell warm incense and pepper, which comes across as quite edgy. Right from the start, the fragrance is finely interwoven with resins. It is intensely smoky. It feels a bit like a curtain of smoke through which a wonderfully dark, resinous vanilla is slowly but surely making its way on velvet paws.
(Random fact: I actually don't detect saffron)
The smoke remains present for me the whole time, but recedes somewhat in the further development.
A complex, inedible, yet sweetish mélange emerges. In my view, the complexity arises from the incense and the various resins. And that's just right.
Less of it, and it would be insignificant. More of it, and it would be too much.

How did my hate-love story continue?
A bottle now stands in my closet. That's all you need to know - just this: I hit the "buy now" button in a last-minute action just before the closure of a well-known Dutch online shop that was at the time the only one that had the fragrance in stock.
So far, I am quite happy with it. Whether that will remain the case, we shall see. Babycat is certainly neither my grail nor the newly invented best wheel of the millennium. But I like it - and for the moment, that's enough.
It doesn't always have to be true love, and certainly not my fragrance of a lifetime (there's just too much variety for that).

Can I understand the comparison to Rosendo Mateu?
A little. Of course, I can't help but add my two cents since this comparison is often made.
It is indeed a somewhat similar scent idea. Only Babycat does everything right that goes "wrong" for me personally with Rosendo.
Babycat is elegant, high-quality, and feels much more natural throughout the entire scent journey, whereas Rosendo has an unbearable, piercing note from the very beginning that ruins the fragrance for me.
I only found Rosendo good in the scent trail; when I smelled it directly on the skin, all my real and fake nails curled up. ;-P
Babycat has what is perceived in hints in the scent trail of Rosendo throughout the entire fragrance journey.

How about longevity/sillage?
A few words on that as well. I often complain when fragrances don't last long enough or have too little projection. I do not have this problem with Babycat at all. The sillage is great; I can clearly perceive it on myself for hours. On the skin, it purrs for almost 24 hours, then of course it is close to the skin. I call that "performance"; I really can't complain. And: the performance suits this fragrance. There are indeed fragrances that are better suited to a subtle presence. But that fits Babycat just as it is. It creates a well-rounded picture overall.

Conclusion? Learning?
Sometimes hypes are justified. I still claim: that is rather rare. However, in this case, it is certainly justified in my view that the little kitten receives so much love.
Clear test recommendation to the other Grumpy Cats out there. It might actually be quite good
Purr. Purr. Purr.

My last review was a while ago. I usually dedicate reviews to the fragrances that really take me away in that moment.
So it is with Rose of No man’s Land.

Normally, I steer clear of rose fragrances, as they often come across as old-fashioned and matronly to my nose. Therefore, it felt like it took 12 years before I finally wanted to test this scent.

It is a relatively monothematic interpretation of the genre - but with a kick, and that’s what makes it so interesting.

The pepper in the opening is noticeable, but not intentionally prickly. It rather resonates in the background and gives the fragrance a certain distance. However, it never becomes too much, as the beautiful rose notes are the main actors in a wonderfully radiant spotlight.
The base grounds itself with papyrus - unaware of how exactly papyrus smells as such. I attribute a certain dark note to the papyrus, which simply cannot overshadow the radiant rose.
The rose reigns over the darkness and slight melancholy like a bright light. And it always wins.

With the raspberry component, the fragrance slightly reminds me of perfumes like Delina, which approach the theme of "rose" in a different way. However, with Byredo, the whole thing comes across as elegant, serious, and aloof and mature - whereas the Delinas seem more flashy and playful to me.
(Warning: not a fragrance twin - just a similar approach with a different outcome!)

For those who have read up: the fragrance is dedicated to the nurses in World War I, who were the light in the darkness for the soldiers.
And here I must say: THAT is true fragrance art. This (certainly serious) image is exactly what the fragrance conveys, without putting me in a bad mood. I perceive more of the radiant brightness than the darkness in the fragrance - although the darkness adds to its allure.

I wear it incredibly often and currently enjoy wearing it daily. Longevity and sillage are really good for me; my skin seems to get along well with Byredo.

If you are looking for an extraordinary rose fragrance - definitely give it a try! However, I would not recommend it as a blind buy.

It is the year 2000. I am a "sweet" 17/18. I never saw myself as sweet; my surroundings probably did.

I was never an explicit club-goer, as I found it far too loud in such establishments, the guys too annoying, and I quickly got bored.
What attracted me, however, was the dark atmosphere in clubs.
This included:
of course very dim lighting. Fog machines.
The scent of people.
Thumping bass.
Thumping heartbeat.
Thumping stomach.
Diving in.
Becoming part of an anonymous yet expressive crowd.
A never-ending night.
A feeling of eternal youth: what does the future cost?!
And of course: the promising clouds of cigarette smoke.

Promising because they symbolize this strange yet beautiful time in my life. I am happy today not to be in that confusing age of 18 anymore. I am glad to be where I am today. And yet I think back to that time with many feelings.

Recently, I encountered Nightclubbing through sharing. Upon the first spray, it is the promising cigarette clouds (probably Galbanum) that immediately captivate me.
I see myself in the midst of the pulsating nightlife. Surrounding me, the scents and odors of people blend together. One can faintly detect a slightly sweet, skin-like perfume (Iris butter, vanilla).
Then follows an earthy, ashy sequence that reminds one of the transience of life. But: in a positive way.
It catapults one back into the past while still making one very present in the here and now, reminding you: hey, you are an adult! Welcome to the version of your most authentic self of all time!

Nightclubbing is a modern classic for me; at least it has a good chance of becoming one. Why? Because it unites my generation in the memory of "earlier" while still coming across as very mature and grown-up.

I see this fragrance on both ladies and gentlemen (=exactly in the middle for me on the scale).
It probably shines more in the evening hours than in the midday sun in July - yet I can imagine it year-round.
The longevity and sillage are typical for Celine: understatement - just enough scent to be perceived as such. If it were louder and more potent, it would likely be annoying in this case.

All in all, a very successful Celine fragrance, my third one now.
Nightclubbing has impressed me so much that I a) dedicated a review to it and b) it had to move in immediately after extensive testing. Such things happen rather rarely. ;)

PS:
For those who do not like cigarette "scent": this might not be your thing - still, I encourage you to give it a test. A truly extraordinary and authentic fragrance. I know nothing that smells like it. Except for "earlier," of course. ;)

I must admit I had high expectations for Delina La Rosée. Why? Among other reasons, because Delina Exclusif smells very, very special to me.

Don't get me wrong:
Delina La Rosée is a beautiful fragrance. It starts fruity with lychee and smells very natural and high-quality.
However, immediately after the lovely top note fades, I associate it with several fragrances from the designer sector - including Chloé. It's not a perfect twin, but it heads in a quite similar direction.
Chloé, of course, doesn't smell as natural and high-quality, and Delina La Rosée is overall a bit fruitier - but the fundamental similarity cannot be denied.

Is that a bad thing?
That depends - if one values recognizability, one might be a bit disappointed due to the similarity to already existing fragrances. I felt that way too.
However, for those looking for a fragrance that goes in a similar direction as the aforementioned Chloé, but remains more high-quality and natural - it’s worth giving it a try.

I see the fragrance more in the warmer season. With its dewy rose, which comes off slightly watery but not aquatic, it is the ideal companion for warm days. I can also imagine the fragrance well in the office, in everyday life - and certainly as a bridal scent, if one is looking for something easy to wear yet exclusive.

By the way: the longevity of La Rosée is, as usual for Marly, fantastically good - it lasted on my skin an impressive twelve (12!) hours.

For anyone who wants to check out my video - feel free. I'm looking forward to it :)

This Narciso is not one of the cool and distant Narciso fragrances.
No, it rather aligns itself with Ambrée and Poudrée - both of which, in my opinion, come across as sweeter and relatively warm (for Narciso standards).

The plum in the opening is already sweet, but we are not dealing with the typical autumn plum here, rather with a fruit that is just ripe enough.
This sweetness is supported by heliotrope - however, I find the scent overall not too sweet.

After a certain wearing time (about 1 hour), something emerges that makes this Narciso surprisingly approachable: it feels human! And not in an animalistic way, but much more in a pleasantly intimate sense. One could almost say: intimate.

This - quite sexy - human quality vaguely reminds me of Musc Invisible
Musc Noir, however, is sweeter and fruitier than Musc Invisible, which is completely lacking in that regard.

Musc Noir is certainly not a loud fragrance, but I can imagine that it could be just right for pleasant interpersonal moments. From my perspective, it is unlikely to become too much and smells sexy without knocking anyone out beforehand. ;)

The longevity is rather average, but I believe that it will shine better in increasingly warmer temperatures. I will, of course, try that out.

And for those who would like to watch my video on this - please feel free to do so :)