Noisette

I didn't expect to love this scent so much!

After Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum became too spicy for my taste overnight due to the cardamom, I was looking for a fragrance that gave me a similar feeling. And here it is! In terms of scent, it reminds me just a tiny bit of Gris Charnel, but they share the same cool, chic, and somewhat distant aura.

I smell a less green Philosykos Eau de Toilette with a cool and milky note from L'Eau d'Hiver and somehow a more feminine Santal 33 Eau de Parfum. It has something "watery" about it. This caught my attention, especially since I generally enjoy ozonic scents and transparent florals like En Passant or Wild Bluebell Cologne and the cucumber-leathery aura of Armani Privé - Cuir Zerzura.
Parisian Musc Eau de Parfum does not focus on the fig as a fruit. Those looking for that aspect will find it more in Dambrosia or Debaser Eau de Parfum. It doesn't aggressively rub the fig leaf in your face like Ichnusa. Instead, the Parisian musk is softly green and a great palette cleanser for me as a lover of fruity, floral, and gourmand scents.

My husband is very sensitive to smells, hates most perfumes, and has a completely different perception than I do, so I always find his comments interesting.
When we got into the car this week, he said: "The seatbelt still smells like your perfume."
This was hours after I had been behind the wheel.
I said: "Yeah? But at least it's a really pleasant one, right? It smells completely natural."
If he doesn't like a scent, he usually expresses it loudly. With Parisian Musc Eau de Parfum, he only suppressed a smile to avoid fueling my perfume obsession further.

On another day, he said: "You smell like sunscreen."
"What kind of fancy sun protection are you using? I want that immediately."
He said: "Reminds me of a coconut."
To which I replied: "I can see that. The drydown is very creamy, fig-milky, and slightly sweet. Maybe that's what you mean."

When I finally visited a friend yesterday, she sniffed the air and said: "Is that you? Do you smell like a fig tree?"
I nodded.
"Wow, I kept thinking how it could be that I suddenly smell the fig tree from the garden on the other side of the house. You smell so beautiful!"

Elegant, serious, and refined. I love it and wore it to two job interviews. I felt professional and confident with it. I also received both offers and so many positive reactions to the perfume, like hardly any other. Maybe Parisian Musc Eau de Parfum is my lucky charm :D

Electrifying. But not like being struck by lightning. Rather, the first spray of Side Effect feels like slowly gliding your fingertip across a charged screen. You know the surface is actually smooth, but due to the static, it feels like you are gliding over tiny little waves. Hypnotic. Do you know what I mean? I probably should get my laptop checked.

The most prominent element I perceive is rum, closely followed by tobacco and a tiny hint of saffron. In the first four hours, I don't smell any vanilla, but I believe it contributes to the unidentifiable sweetness. From the fifth hour on, however, it becomes very present.

I belong to the faction that associates Side Effect with "Replica - Jazz Club | Maison Margiela." For me, Side Effect is much softer than Jazz Club. Jazz Club starts off more masculine, a bit scratchy, which I can only attribute to the pink pepper. At first, the two fragrances smell quite different. After about an hour, however, Jazz Club develops similarly to the first four hours of Side Effect. The masculine touch of Jazz Club never completely disappears, though.

If money is no object, I would choose Side Effect as a woman. For the patient, Jazz Club is also a good choice. For a man, I would rather recommend Jazz Club, as it does not develop a pronounced sweet vanilla after a few hours like Side Effect does. Unless, of course, that is exactly what one wants.

Once my nose has adjusted to the side effects, the static screen gives way to a cold, black silk satin dress that occasionally sends chills down your spine because you encounter spots that haven't yet adjusted to body temperature while moving.

"Oh... what is that?" My first reaction as I unknowingly walked past the Floraiku stand while the saleswoman was spraying "One Umbrella for Two" into the air, attracting two more customers beside me. Later, she revealed to me that this was her sales tactic and that "One Umbrella for Two" is essentially the gateway fragrance for the brand.

Especially in YouTube circles, this scent is often compared to blueberry muffins. I can't relate to that at all. "One Umbrella for Two" starts off as an undefinable gourmand, but it lacks (almost) any sweetness and fruitiness. Chocolate? Not a chance.

Instead, I smell lightly roasted hazelnuts and croissants. After a bit of research, this makes perfect sense, as according to Wikipedia, Genmaicha is a Japanese green tea preparation that contains roasted and partially puffed rice grains. This gives the tea a slightly malty roasted aroma.

"One Umbrella for Two" has a leisurely progression. After about three hours, the perfume becomes woodier, which is probably due to the cedar, but not much else changes.

For me, it is definitely unisex.

It is not an all-rounder, so one must consider the purchase given the price. The uniqueness, the beauty of the bottle, and the great name contributed to my willingness to take a dent in my wallet. In my opinion, Floraiku simply has the most beautiful bottles. Although the brand is quite difficult to obtain, I would never recommend a blind buy. However, testing it is definitely worthwhile.

There are fragrances that make you think: Yes, this is me! Then there are those that make you wish you could embody them. For me, the Arabesque is a perfume of the latter kind.

It is worthy of an Arab beauty whose expressive, kohl-rimmed eyes make everyone she encounters wonder whether she is laughing with or at them. The song by Swiss singer Manni Matter perfectly captures this for me (the Germans may have to puzzle over the meaning):

"Dr sidi abdel assar vo el hama
Het mal am morge früe no im pijama
Ir strass vor dr moschee
Zwöi schöni ouge gseh
Das isch dr afang worde vo sim drama
S isch d tochter gsy vom mohamed mustafa
Dr abdel assar het nümm chönne schlafa
Bis är bim mohamed
Um d hand aghalte hed"

I also couldn't get this perfume out of my head since I first got to smell it. If I could only have one winter fragrance, I would probably choose this one. A spicy plum liqueur captures it well, but as a description, it feels far too blunt. The scent is much more refined. It radiates about an arm's length and invites you to come closer. The longevity is also great at eight hours. If that doesn't convince you: Good! I don't want it to become too popular.

For it, I even traveled to Germany a second time, a total of 6 hours. At least I didn't make the same mistake as Sidi Abdel Assar from El Hama, who ultimately chose a cheaper bride in the song and mourned his great love forever.

"Why does the whole apartment smell like a pastry shop?" my husband asks. For him, as a self-proclaimed vanilla hater, this is unfortunately NOT a compliment. I, however, take it as such. I enjoy being a room fragrance, especially one as delicious as this! Clearly, the sillage of the Sorriso that moved in with me yesterday is excellent.

When I smelled it in the store, I must have looked quite astonished, as the buyer burst out laughing. Yes, it really is good. I perceive it as a blend of cocoa and dried orange peels - just in the best possible way, and it doesn’t come off as dry, even though the description might suggest that. I had hoped to smell like 70% dark Lindt chocolate with orange intense, which is not the case. However, this fragrance is so wonderful that I had to have it immediately without a second thought. The scent development is quite linear. Over time, the vanilla becomes a bit more prominent. For me, it could have remained more cocoa-heavy. I’m complaining here at a high level.

By the way, I would love to smell Sorriso on a man. Despite its sweetness, it doesn’t strike me as strictly feminine. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a long time for my husband to wear it.