Maksy
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Recollections of a childhood long since past.
This scent smells like home, a comforting trail of motherhood and dominant femininity left around the house.
The scent whose sweet smell of ethyl maltol and a cornucopia of fruits, florals, and gourmand notes permeated my senses, and left its mark on my developing olfactory receptors.
The Gourmand, the Angel, “my” Angel.
This scent has been picked over, examined, reviewed, and analyzed since its inception. But I’m finally taking the time to try and put my feelings of this otherworldly perfume into words. Even as my own olfactive tastes have changed beyond this sole profile, I still look to this fragrance when I want to feel absolutely comfy and secure.
This is a review that is going to be referencing the pre-L’Oréal version (Clarins batch’s), there are some noticeable differences between the two now but in my opinion they don’t detract from the quality and aroma of this fragrance. I’ll notate where differences are noticed for me in the L’Oréal formulation that way there’s no confusing the two.
The opening is a wonderful and enveloping collage of citruses and patchouli, ethyl maltol and patchouli quickly making their earthy gourmand entry.
(L’Oréal): Noticeably more bergamot, it’s a scintillating and bright bergamot, the other citruses seem to take a backseat right in the opening.
As we get a little further in, an almost overwhelming aroma of gourmand notes begin to envelope you. The notes I pick out the most are: vanilla, chocolate, honeyed fruits, slightly burnt cotton candy.
This seemingly chaotic assault of notes, somehow presents a superbly warm and impactful sillage experience. It draws you in with a lingering trail of patchouli and vanilla – only to completely ensnare you once you approach the wearer, with its decadent honeyed fruity floralcy.
(L’Oréal): Here is the biggest observed change for me between formulations… A major component of Angel (in my scent memory), is how the honeyed fruit aroma combines with the overdosed ethyl maltol + patch. It creates this (almost)too sticky, (almost)too “sugary”, (almost)too dense, cloud of notes that kinda makes your head spin [in a good way]. L’Oréal seems to have cleaned this heart transition up some, made it less “90’s glam-punk chic”, and more “post-2010 work couture” type of vibe. It’s still ‘Angel’ but it smells cleaned up some, not as promiscuous. Much less of the honeyed fruits, more overdosed patchouli and chocolatey notes.
Both formulations have absolutely outrageous longevity as well, L’Oreal lasting 10-12hrs and Clarins lasting 12+. The overdosed notes present create a very long lasting base.
In all.. This scent represents the smell of my childhood, it’s something that I keep close to home, I savor every sniff, and will always pride myself in owning a bottle of this precious blue liquid.
The scent whose sweet smell of ethyl maltol and a cornucopia of fruits, florals, and gourmand notes permeated my senses, and left its mark on my developing olfactory receptors.
The Gourmand, the Angel, “my” Angel.
This scent has been picked over, examined, reviewed, and analyzed since its inception. But I’m finally taking the time to try and put my feelings of this otherworldly perfume into words. Even as my own olfactive tastes have changed beyond this sole profile, I still look to this fragrance when I want to feel absolutely comfy and secure.
This is a review that is going to be referencing the pre-L’Oréal version (Clarins batch’s), there are some noticeable differences between the two now but in my opinion they don’t detract from the quality and aroma of this fragrance. I’ll notate where differences are noticed for me in the L’Oréal formulation that way there’s no confusing the two.
The opening is a wonderful and enveloping collage of citruses and patchouli, ethyl maltol and patchouli quickly making their earthy gourmand entry.
(L’Oréal): Noticeably more bergamot, it’s a scintillating and bright bergamot, the other citruses seem to take a backseat right in the opening.
As we get a little further in, an almost overwhelming aroma of gourmand notes begin to envelope you. The notes I pick out the most are: vanilla, chocolate, honeyed fruits, slightly burnt cotton candy.
This seemingly chaotic assault of notes, somehow presents a superbly warm and impactful sillage experience. It draws you in with a lingering trail of patchouli and vanilla – only to completely ensnare you once you approach the wearer, with its decadent honeyed fruity floralcy.
(L’Oréal): Here is the biggest observed change for me between formulations… A major component of Angel (in my scent memory), is how the honeyed fruit aroma combines with the overdosed ethyl maltol + patch. It creates this (almost)too sticky, (almost)too “sugary”, (almost)too dense, cloud of notes that kinda makes your head spin [in a good way]. L’Oréal seems to have cleaned this heart transition up some, made it less “90’s glam-punk chic”, and more “post-2010 work couture” type of vibe. It’s still ‘Angel’ but it smells cleaned up some, not as promiscuous. Much less of the honeyed fruits, more overdosed patchouli and chocolatey notes.
Both formulations have absolutely outrageous longevity as well, L’Oreal lasting 10-12hrs and Clarins lasting 12+. The overdosed notes present create a very long lasting base.
In all.. This scent represents the smell of my childhood, it’s something that I keep close to home, I savor every sniff, and will always pride myself in owning a bottle of this precious blue liquid.
2 Comments
Sweet summer screamer.
I’m split on this one…
On one hand I appreciate the care put into this, but on the other I just don’t vibe with it?
About the only time I see myself wearing this, would be to a more formal style gathering, and that’s far too few moments to warrant a full bottle for me.
The scent has a very bright and citrusy opening, it honestly reminds me of the smell of a Lemonhead candy, with its sweet powdery coating. Underneath the orange and lemon, I get vanilla and musks creating a very-very sweet and delicious aroma, but it plays a fine balance of almost being too sweet for my taste? The citruses come off very shear, and in combination with the vanillic notes, I’m torn.
A few florals smattered in to add some balance to the sweetness, but the star of the show is definitely the sweeter notes.
I get more longevity than sillage from this, lasting around 9-10hrs, with about a conversation distance sillage.
Not my everyday vibe, but it’s not a bad scent.
On one hand I appreciate the care put into this, but on the other I just don’t vibe with it?
About the only time I see myself wearing this, would be to a more formal style gathering, and that’s far too few moments to warrant a full bottle for me.
The scent has a very bright and citrusy opening, it honestly reminds me of the smell of a Lemonhead candy, with its sweet powdery coating. Underneath the orange and lemon, I get vanilla and musks creating a very-very sweet and delicious aroma, but it plays a fine balance of almost being too sweet for my taste? The citruses come off very shear, and in combination with the vanillic notes, I’m torn.
A few florals smattered in to add some balance to the sweetness, but the star of the show is definitely the sweeter notes.
I get more longevity than sillage from this, lasting around 9-10hrs, with about a conversation distance sillage.
Not my everyday vibe, but it’s not a bad scent.
l’Fluide ambre lumineux
Sometimes perfumery doesn’t have to be an entire palette of notes, sometimes it can be reduced the finer portions of a few choice ingredients. In this Grand Soir, Francis Kurkdjian, exposed all of these facets in a deliciously linear and gorgeous, vanilla amber.
Now, my profile tastes have started to grow into ever smokier, woodier, spicier, or animalic profiles – but this hits the perfect balance of sweetness to muskiness & spiciness.
The lavender, Labdanum, and cinnamon – all present a wonderful spicy aromatic musky aroma. It’s smooth and a little sticky, with the amber accord providing a warm sweet note between the spices, creating an aroma akin to cinnamon cookies. The vanilla used here, is not a plush/powdery (what I would describe as “cheap designer gourmand vanilla”), it’s ever so slightly powdery; but a very rich and almost woody vanilla greets my nose. It’s sumptuous, not screechy, and is a welcome change from 90% of “vanilla” I smell now on the shelves at department stores.
Now for an Eau de Parfum? This has incredible longevity in my opinion, 11–pushing 12 hours, I’ve worn this to bed quite a lot (maybe an expensive bed time spray but hey, if you like it, wear it, right?), and I smell it upon waking it up every time.
I cannot ascribe any gender to this fragrance either, but I have had some women tell me the Labdanum is too prominent on their skin, or some men have told me “the vanilla is too cloying”, so while I firmly believe this is unisex, your mileage of course may vary; but it’s always worth sampling on skin.
This is fantastic juice and I use these words to describe it:
“An inch wide, but a mile deep.”
It’s linear, has few notes, but the construction of these accords is simply beautiful and has a continuous luminous depth to it.
Now, my profile tastes have started to grow into ever smokier, woodier, spicier, or animalic profiles – but this hits the perfect balance of sweetness to muskiness & spiciness.
The lavender, Labdanum, and cinnamon – all present a wonderful spicy aromatic musky aroma. It’s smooth and a little sticky, with the amber accord providing a warm sweet note between the spices, creating an aroma akin to cinnamon cookies. The vanilla used here, is not a plush/powdery (what I would describe as “cheap designer gourmand vanilla”), it’s ever so slightly powdery; but a very rich and almost woody vanilla greets my nose. It’s sumptuous, not screechy, and is a welcome change from 90% of “vanilla” I smell now on the shelves at department stores.
Now for an Eau de Parfum? This has incredible longevity in my opinion, 11–pushing 12 hours, I’ve worn this to bed quite a lot (maybe an expensive bed time spray but hey, if you like it, wear it, right?), and I smell it upon waking it up every time.
I cannot ascribe any gender to this fragrance either, but I have had some women tell me the Labdanum is too prominent on their skin, or some men have told me “the vanilla is too cloying”, so while I firmly believe this is unisex, your mileage of course may vary; but it’s always worth sampling on skin.
This is fantastic juice and I use these words to describe it:
“An inch wide, but a mile deep.”
It’s linear, has few notes, but the construction of these accords is simply beautiful and has a continuous luminous depth to it.
2 Comments
Oud For Greatness, but I wish you were greater.
Well, I finally have gotten around to comparing the two: 
Haltane and this, Oud For Greatness. Two sides of the same coin, from two sister houses.
I’ll just save time by saying: I like Haltane more.
I like OfG, but this scent dries so shockingly flat on my skin that I was kinda surprised. The opening is punchy, nutmeg and a semi-rubbery saffron/oud accord greets my nose. But after that, this scent seemingly becomes quite one-dimensional with no real interesting development? And while I can appreciate linear constructions, they have to have some interesting development in the depth or accords of the profile – this does not happen here in Oud for Greatness.
I can see this profile maybe appealing to those that find the sweetness of Haltane too much? And while I don’t mind the lack of sweetness/praline in OfG at all, I find the lack of complexity quite dissatisfying for its price tag.
So despite all this negativity, what are some positives I can praise this scent for?
Well, for one I like the nutmeg & Oud, it’s spicy and has that signature patchouli Oud aroma. I really wish Haltane had nutmeg somewhere in the mix, it really would add a nice aroma to its construction.
Quality ingredients throughout, nothing screams “bad quality” to me, so you’re definitely getting a niche aroma.
I love-love the opening! I wish it lasted longer.
I find I get better longevity than sillage from this profile, which is fine. 9-10hrs longevity with just over arms length sillage for the first 3hrs, down to arms length for the next 5-6, then just above skin until gone.
I don’t hate this scent, I just find it disappointing for its price tag – and while I’m no PdM fanboy or anything, I’d rather pay the price forHaltane over this.
Haltane and this, Oud For Greatness. Two sides of the same coin, from two sister houses.I’ll just save time by saying: I like Haltane more.
I like OfG, but this scent dries so shockingly flat on my skin that I was kinda surprised. The opening is punchy, nutmeg and a semi-rubbery saffron/oud accord greets my nose. But after that, this scent seemingly becomes quite one-dimensional with no real interesting development? And while I can appreciate linear constructions, they have to have some interesting development in the depth or accords of the profile – this does not happen here in Oud for Greatness.
I can see this profile maybe appealing to those that find the sweetness of Haltane too much? And while I don’t mind the lack of sweetness/praline in OfG at all, I find the lack of complexity quite dissatisfying for its price tag.
So despite all this negativity, what are some positives I can praise this scent for?
Well, for one I like the nutmeg & Oud, it’s spicy and has that signature patchouli Oud aroma. I really wish Haltane had nutmeg somewhere in the mix, it really would add a nice aroma to its construction.
Quality ingredients throughout, nothing screams “bad quality” to me, so you’re definitely getting a niche aroma.
I love-love the opening! I wish it lasted longer.
I find I get better longevity than sillage from this profile, which is fine. 9-10hrs longevity with just over arms length sillage for the first 3hrs, down to arms length for the next 5-6, then just above skin until gone.
I don’t hate this scent, I just find it disappointing for its price tag – and while I’m no PdM fanboy or anything, I’d rather pay the price for
Haltane over this.
The Power of Herbs and Wood, an Amouage masterpiece.
Amouage and Pierre Negrin have opened my eyes to a wonderful piece of perfumery.
Opening with a ferocious herbal and green aroma, right from the start you understand that this is not your average men’s cologne.
Bold, regal, defined, and statement making.
Incense, opoponax, and the cistus blend together with this potent aroma of oregano and pimento. Its slightly sweet, supremely resinous, slightly musky, and maintains a spicy earthy greenness from the opening.
Already in this first hour, I’m entranced by this profile, blowing any expectation I had out the water.
Spicy smokes and resins galore!
In the dry down, I’m treated to a resinous woody mixture with touches of leather, patchouli adding a touch of earthiness to the mix. I’ll add the dry down doesn’t appear until you’re 5-6hrs in, this scent lasts easily over 12hrs on my skin, which is completely bombastic longevity for an EdP.
I sampled this four times on skin, and had to buy a bottle. What a true treat of Middle Eastern aromas that will definitely be repurchased when my bottle runs dry.
If you haven’t sampled this, do so, this is sorely underrated in my opinion.
This scent wants to make a statement on skin, let it!
Opening with a ferocious herbal and green aroma, right from the start you understand that this is not your average men’s cologne.
Bold, regal, defined, and statement making.
Incense, opoponax, and the cistus blend together with this potent aroma of oregano and pimento. Its slightly sweet, supremely resinous, slightly musky, and maintains a spicy earthy greenness from the opening.
Already in this first hour, I’m entranced by this profile, blowing any expectation I had out the water.
Spicy smokes and resins galore!
In the dry down, I’m treated to a resinous woody mixture with touches of leather, patchouli adding a touch of earthiness to the mix. I’ll add the dry down doesn’t appear until you’re 5-6hrs in, this scent lasts easily over 12hrs on my skin, which is completely bombastic longevity for an EdP.
I sampled this four times on skin, and had to buy a bottle. What a true treat of Middle Eastern aromas that will definitely be repurchased when my bottle runs dry.
If you haven’t sampled this, do so, this is sorely underrated in my opinion.
This scent wants to make a statement on skin, let it!
1 Comment
