RedBull

What Givenchy was thinking with the naming honestly escapes me.
Basically, this has nothing to do with the original Pi and is actually an independent fragrance.
But if anything, I would have simply named it "Pi Blue" or "Pi Lavanda".
Because I associate nothing with air here.

Over the years, my taste in fragrances has changed significantly.
Lavender has now become one of my favorite ingredients in perfumes.
And this fragrance revolves around that lavender. You get a somehow calming lavender in a powdery way with a bit of musk and woods in the background.
Distantly, you can also sense tiny other floral notes.
And by the way, I don’t find it any more synthetic than other fragrances in this price range. A bit of synthetics is certainly involved.

In my opinion, the fragrance deserved more attention after its launch, because one thing I've always experienced when I wore it is:
The scent has a very positive effect on my surroundings and I even receive occasional compliments for it.

I personally find the bottle quite cool, and it has a certain weight to it, making it feel quite valuable.
Its weak point is certainly the longevity, as after 5-6 hours, at least on my skin, the fun is over.

For me, it’s a perfect companion for an evening on the sofa or before going to sleep because it simply puts me in a good mood and a certain satisfaction.
In the office, it works well too; I don’t think any colleague will wrinkle their nose at this scent.
Perhaps it’s exactly these rough edges that it lacks and could have brought it more attention in the end.

It's kind of funny that this fragrance has found its way into my collection.
Actually, I had moved away from these sugary little waters. I had sold my 1 Million when it was half full because I just couldn't wear it anymore; over time it became too loud, too sticky, too flashy for my taste!

...but what happened here?
Armani has evolved the slowly fading trend of 1 Million and interpreted it in a more modern way. While still quite sweet in the top note, it's also still loud but everything is a bit more refined than its golden counterpart. Additionally, the gum note has been omitted, which inherently gives it more style.

“Style” is the keyword: Yes, it knows what it wants: it wants to stand out, it wants to charm the female gender. In fact, it does this on a more mature, sophisticated level than the famous gold bar.
Code Profumo can also be worn in a suit, not just in the club looking for a night in foreign beds ;-)

It's not multifaceted, but it doesn't always have to be. On the contrary: I personally think it's quite good when a fragrance remains true to its top note. After all, the average consumer buys fragrances that they only briefly test in the perfumery. The buyer shouldn't be unpleasantly surprised afterward.
The big transformation of the scent should be reserved for niche fragrances! (in my opinion)

Code Profumo starts sweet with a bit of fruity apple and a mandarin-orange mix, then transitions into the spicy heart note/base, which primarily brings forth amber, tonka, and still subtle orange. A hint of lavender and leather are also subtly in play.
Longevity: after about 8-9 hours, it's gone; sillage: becomes close to the skin after about 3 hours, 3 sprays are my recommended dose.

Indeed, Armani has managed with Code Profumo to bring me closer to the 1 Million DNA and make it wearable for me!
To specify further: for me, this fragrance is the “30+ 1 Million”!

Sometimes it’s the fragrances that you casually toss into your shopping cart during an online order because they are on sale that end up surprising you the most.
This happened to me here as well.

I was already familiar with Hanae Mori’s “HM,” which has accompanied me for years and still remains a highlight in my collection.
I’ve stumbled upon this “Him” here several times, but I never really wanted to buy it, as I had already tested so many scents in the spicy-woody direction, and the genre seemed somewhat exhausted. On the other hand, I’ve had more than one bad experience in this category with objectively pleasing fragrance pyramids.

A few weeks ago, however, I was online again and somehow it ended up in my cart because, as mentioned at the beginning, it was just so cheap.
(Hunting for bargains is just a silly vice of mine)
...Expectations were rather mediocre!

But the surprise came with the very first spray test.
It actually appealed to me immediately and brought a smile to my face.
The mandarin and bergamot paired with a bit of pepper form the opening.
After a few minutes, the citrus part fades and woody notes come forward. Then a bit of sweetness is added through the amber, and I even perceive a slight underlying creaminess. After several hours (about 6-7), the scent then fades out with woody notes.
For an EdT, the longevity is absolutely top-notch, and the sillage is also in a decent range.

Somehow, this scent reminds me of fresh wood being processed in a sawmill.
As a small child, I always enjoyed riding my bike past the sawmill in our town because I’ve always found the scent of fresh wood incredibly pleasant.
Well, what can I say, this fragrance brings back childhood memories for me.

Undoubtedly, this blind purchase was worth it.
Hanae Mori fragrances may not be very well known in Germany, but that doesn’t mean they are insignificant. No, quite the opposite: Hanae Mori creates beautiful scents without copying anything, and they feel much higher in quality than the price would suggest.
On one hand, I would wish for more from this wonderful brand; on the other hand, sometimes quality takes precedence over quantity ;-)
I definitely have one more fragrance in my cabinet that will keep me happy for quite some time.

Normally, I write my rare comments more about new acquisitions, but here I want to talk about a loyal companion of mine from the last few years.

Kokorico had a tough time when it hit the market; it was supposed to be the new face of Gaultier after the aging Le Male for the target group of 16-35 year-olds.
With the already hyped 1 Million at that time, it was clear where the direction of a new composition should lead. It had to go towards sweet, gourmand, and a strong presenting top note.
I think they managed this quite well with Kokorico. And they did it in a distinctive way; nothing was copied, but created in their own little chamber.

What emerged was a rather noteworthy fragrance that, in my opinion, unfortunately remained a bit “underrated,” as it certainly has arguments on its side.
For me, it radiates understatement and also a certain dirtiness at the same time.
I always liked to use it for going out, and that’s what it was made for.

I made the comparison to 1 Million deliberately, as it is similar. 1 Million is also a well-crafted fragrance, but its omnipresence became annoying over time. Thus, it doesn’t fare well among connoisseurs of the scene, even though the scent itself deserved better. Kokorico, on the other hand, was not so omnipresent and yet never found its place in the market.
I find that a bit of a shame for a fragrance that was indeed innovative. ...more innovative than the currently popular Sauvage, by the way!

So, it is now sadly disappearing from the market somewhat quietly, a few remaining stocks will still adorn the perfumeries for a while, but then that will be it.
Admittedly, it is not a masterpiece of perfume art that is disappearing here, but rather a distinct and zeitgeist-appropriate fragrance. ...SHAME...

I liked it and even grew quite fond of it. A still half-full bottle will grace my collection for a while longer, and in the end, I am glad to have had and known it.

Farewell, dear Kokorico!
Your Stefan

How does this Mugler always do it?
He releases one A*Men flanker after another and damn it: time and time again, he hits the mark with his compositions!

I find it admirable that none of the flankers have disappointed me so far. ...And so it is with Kryptomint.
As a confessed After Eight lover since childhood, this fragrance has to appeal to me. (I believe my buddy Thierry made it just for me;-) )
Typical A*Men DNA with a splash of fresh mint and suddenly he has reinvented himself again.
The only downside is that the longevity and sillage are not quite at standard level, but still pretty decent.

It's maddening, as he constantly pulls money out of my pocket because it simply evokes a "must-have factor" in me!
I think I am helplessly at the mercy of this spectacle. ...I am weak, he has truly made me his slave, this Mugler!

It's almost like with 'Modern Talking' in the 80s. They could do whatever they wanted back then, and people loved it.
However, for me, the question arises of when this house of cards will collapse. Sooner or later, one might suspect, people will get tired of it, and then the line is thin not to fall into trash!

But as long as it works, he will keep going! Why not?