Raluko111

I was so there for this opening, it made my pulse race with anticipation because it almost approximated a discontinued scent I love, Le Feu d'Issey Light. My God did this get my attention! The juniper and spices and that warm cinnamon with peppery iris almost made me a believer. I mean, that cinnamon is the best I`ve smelled; spicy and creamy, I can close my eyes and see its reddish bark turning to powder. Unfortunately, as much as I got hooked on to that gorgeous opening and heart, the evolution has left me disappointed. Why does it have to be so sweet? WTH, Histoires de Parfums? If not for me, then for the sake of Hemingway, fix this asap! What does Hemingway have to do with any of this sweet, feminine vanilla? Have you even read his books? He knew nothing about women in either fiction or real life. His fictional female characters are so two dimensional as to almost seem cartoonish. Yeah, so I feel utterly betrayed by the ambery vanilla and the poor marketing.

The scent has so much potential, but I really wanted more, more grit, more development, less sweetness, a more macho vibe as the label promised, something, anything! Sampling this was way more disappointing than simply smelling an all-around poor scent; you feel let down because of all the beauty that the opening promised.

And you know what? I might still get this. Might get a liter of it to spray over and over just so I get to experience the first parts and never let it devolve into that base.

If you like peaches and/or tuberose, you ought to try this. And if you don`t enjoy excessive sweetness, you ought to stay away. This and Suncrest have made me realize that I really don`t care much for peaches in perfumery. Which is strange, because I adore a sweet, ripe, juicy peach and I really look forward to the time they`re in season in Japan. I think Rush is the only peach I enjoy, with all its synthetic, plastic features. Peche Cardinale has a strong, loud tuberose which adds more sweetness on top of an already saccharine fruit platter of blackcurrants and plums. It`s a bit much for someone who is not a fan of this scent profile. For those of you who like peaches and/or tuberose, this is a beautiful blend that smells natural and does justice to both notes. It`s pretty potent without being obnoxious and lasts a good while.

Satisfying. If there was one word to describe Un Zbor Divin, this would be it for me. I`ve been on a Luviane binge recently, thanks to my kind friend who shared her sample set with me. There are some Romanian brands that get a lot of (what I feel is undeserved) hype recently, so I wanted to experience a brand from that country that actual Romanian fragrance lovers recommend. Enter Luviane.

Un Zbor Divin is the masculine version of another little gem I`ve fallen in love with from the same collection Adieri Magice. I take the terms "masculine" and"feminine" loosely, the same way as light vs. dark, or sweet vs. salty; it`s all relative, neither one is exclusive of the other, and there`s a whole spectrum of variations in between, so wear what pleases your heart! If you get tripped up by these categories and feel limited, the issue lies with you.

The tobacco is soaked in rum and has a depth that Jazz Club isn`t anywhere close to achieving. No sharp, harsh edges here, it`s smooth, baby! And it has that Bosphorus Crossing feel of the East blending with the West, a not quite Oriental perfume. I`d smoke this cigar and let loose on the rum-citrus smoke wafting in the air. The citrus isn`t juicy, but always just hinted at, like the impression of dried zest sitting on top of a cake. The composition sits solidly balanced on woody notes with the patchouli in the base that feels earthy with just the slightest bitterness. A dreamy, resinous tobacco fully deserving of being smoked in a pipe in an Istanbul cafe by a sexy silver fox Bey.

This is what I was hoping to experience with those Hermes Jardins, but they can be so hit and miss, some far too simplistic and lacking in substance, others not connected to the idea of gardens at all. The white tea and neroli are very pretty and only slightly acerbic. This is the story of orange flowers, not fruits. And the story is embellished with synthetics, which do not strike a discordant note. Soapy, classic, fresh. The ambrox is very well integrated into the composition, so its screech is tuned out to a pleasant hum of an updated summer cologne, a refined, toned down Echt Kölnisch Wasser Eau de Cologne. Pretty.

The aroma of splinters from freshly split wood greets you from the first spray. My sample was still in its old bottle with the "Ingredients o7/2012" label, so I wasn`t particularly enthusiastic, my nose was ready and primed to wrinkle with disapproval at what I thought would be yet another synthetic junk a la Mass Murder Juliet with her gun, but color me pleasantly surprised! The woody bits and spices in here are warm and welcoming, making you eager to stretch your toes on the fresh wooden planks of the sauna, anticipating the relaxation. The saffron is warm, dry, and natural smelling. It`s a simple scent, but that`s also part of its beauty. A clean, dry sauna scent that is unfortunately short-lived on my skin.