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Namibia
Short description of the fragrance in German Southwest Africa:
Bergamot - not at all
Lavender - slightly
Violet - with strong inhalation
Juniper - yes
Vetiver - in abundance
Labdanum - later
African Grenadilla - WTF?
Vanilla - no
Musk - don't know, fell asleep
A very nice dry-woody vetiver scent. Sweet? Luckily no.
For men and women (and everyone in between according to the Federal Constitutional Court).
Bergamot - not at all
Lavender - slightly
Violet - with strong inhalation
Juniper - yes
Vetiver - in abundance
Labdanum - later
African Grenadilla - WTF?
Vanilla - no
Musk - don't know, fell asleep
A very nice dry-woody vetiver scent. Sweet? Luckily no.
For men and women (and everyone in between according to the Federal Constitutional Court).
2 Comments
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Bulgarian Fortune Teller
Baba Wanga was a famous Bulgarian clairvoyant and fortune teller. For more than half a century, her prophecies captivated the citizens of Bulgaria, former Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union. In the 1980s, it was almost impossible to get an appointment with her without special connections.
In the late eighties, communist Bulgaria slowly opened up to the West, and thus the first perfumes from Bulgaria made their way to Yugoslavia, where I lived for a while. Back then, Bulgaria was already known on the Balkans for the production of the infamous Bulgarian rose, which is now part of many precious fragrances. The scents were very straightforward: rose and musk, sometimes for a change musk and rose, in that order. The perfumes were smuggled across the strictly controlled border in small 10ml spray bottles. Sometimes the Bulgarian customs officers turned a blind eye if you slipped them the latest cassette of the mega-popular folk singer Lepa Brena from the Balkans. I believe you could have smuggled an entire truck through, so popular was the singer there.
After a while, however, we were no longer so impressed by the scents. You could sense the extremely valuable ingredients in the form of Bulgarian rose and musk (probably artificial), but the creativity for combining, mixing, and experimenting was simply lacking. The fragrance notes marched like the soldiers of the Bulgarian People's Army under Eastern Europe's toughest dictator Todor Zhivkov: musk, rose, musk, rose, musk, rose. Today, 30 years later, I immediately think of the strictly composed mass parades in North Korea.
The fragrance notes in Chopard Musk Malaki are just as strict. Unfortunately, the components mentioned above, such as pepper, cedarwood, and leather, do not come to the fore. The scent starts off very fresh, but also creamy. A friend of mine said upon first sniff that it reminded him of a wonderful soap. After that, the blend of musk and (the oddly unmentioned) rose in the fragrance composition unfolds. Even after 7 hours, everything smells completely identical to the beginning. The musk-rose combination overshadows everything else.
The bottle is a pure visual delight. It is the same as the one for Rose Malaki, which I also own (more about that in the comment there). However, the liquid is not as pink as depicted in the title photo. In artificial light, it is transparent; in daylight, some pink notes shimmer through, but far from what you see here.
I wonder if Baba Wanga would have foreseen back then that a perfume manufacturer named Chopard would release a fragrance in 2017 that so closely resembles the scents of Bulgaria from the last century. And that the sales would be so poor that it would be taken off the market just a year later. The remaining stock can now be purchased in the United Arab Emirates, where musk apparently is more popular than it is here. This wonderful, brief reminder of a socialist-communist era now has a permanent place in my collection.
In the late eighties, communist Bulgaria slowly opened up to the West, and thus the first perfumes from Bulgaria made their way to Yugoslavia, where I lived for a while. Back then, Bulgaria was already known on the Balkans for the production of the infamous Bulgarian rose, which is now part of many precious fragrances. The scents were very straightforward: rose and musk, sometimes for a change musk and rose, in that order. The perfumes were smuggled across the strictly controlled border in small 10ml spray bottles. Sometimes the Bulgarian customs officers turned a blind eye if you slipped them the latest cassette of the mega-popular folk singer Lepa Brena from the Balkans. I believe you could have smuggled an entire truck through, so popular was the singer there.
After a while, however, we were no longer so impressed by the scents. You could sense the extremely valuable ingredients in the form of Bulgarian rose and musk (probably artificial), but the creativity for combining, mixing, and experimenting was simply lacking. The fragrance notes marched like the soldiers of the Bulgarian People's Army under Eastern Europe's toughest dictator Todor Zhivkov: musk, rose, musk, rose, musk, rose. Today, 30 years later, I immediately think of the strictly composed mass parades in North Korea.
The fragrance notes in Chopard Musk Malaki are just as strict. Unfortunately, the components mentioned above, such as pepper, cedarwood, and leather, do not come to the fore. The scent starts off very fresh, but also creamy. A friend of mine said upon first sniff that it reminded him of a wonderful soap. After that, the blend of musk and (the oddly unmentioned) rose in the fragrance composition unfolds. Even after 7 hours, everything smells completely identical to the beginning. The musk-rose combination overshadows everything else.
The bottle is a pure visual delight. It is the same as the one for Rose Malaki, which I also own (more about that in the comment there). However, the liquid is not as pink as depicted in the title photo. In artificial light, it is transparent; in daylight, some pink notes shimmer through, but far from what you see here.
I wonder if Baba Wanga would have foreseen back then that a perfume manufacturer named Chopard would release a fragrance in 2017 that so closely resembles the scents of Bulgaria from the last century. And that the sales would be so poor that it would be taken off the market just a year later. The remaining stock can now be purchased in the United Arab Emirates, where musk apparently is more popular than it is here. This wonderful, brief reminder of a socialist-communist era now has a permanent place in my collection.
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Once Rose, smoked please!
The Chopard Malaki series fascinated me at first sight with its appearance. Yes, I know, they say you shouldn't be impressed by appearances alone, but one cannot help but admire the wonderful bottles for hours. The Chopard Malaki series consists of the following fragrance lines: Amber Malaki, Musk Malaki, Oud Malaki, and Rose Malaki. I wanted to buy them all at once, but they are not that easy to find. Some distant USA Chopard watch shops or not-so-lovingly named Brexit stores offered 1 to 2 fragrances, but I wasn't really convinced. However, a glance towards the East quickly changed that. Almost every Arab country from Qatar to Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates offers all 4 fragrances at all airports and various online shops. At very reasonable prices too. Fortunately, I have a frequent flyer in my circle of friends, and so my Rose Malaki arrived a few days ago.
The brown-gold packaging with black lettering is very discreet. It did lose a hit in the right corner during the long journey (see photo below), but this does not detract from its appearance. The bottle is round, but actually also octagonal with 8 semi-rounded sides. You can feel the full glass in your hand like a precious Ralph Lauren vase. The cap is also round/octagonal and closes with a magnetic closure. The inscription "Chopard Rose Malaki" is only a sticker, which I knew from various forums and was not disappointed, although one would initially expect a small metal plate.
The top, heart, and base notes are quite close together, and you feel the dominant rose from the very beginning. Not a pink summer rose on the dress of a prepubescent teenager, but a night rose. A masculine, dark rose with initially a lot of smoke, as if you just lit your Indian incense stick. Shortly thereafter, you are transported to the leather supplier of the Emirati sultans, where the leathers of the most unlikely animals are spread out. The patchouli-vanilla finish rounds off this unique fragrance.
Thank you, Chopard! Although I will never be able to buy your (overpriced) watches, as long as you continue in the perfume business, I will be your loyal customer. The frequent flyer is on his way to the airport again...
The brown-gold packaging with black lettering is very discreet. It did lose a hit in the right corner during the long journey (see photo below), but this does not detract from its appearance. The bottle is round, but actually also octagonal with 8 semi-rounded sides. You can feel the full glass in your hand like a precious Ralph Lauren vase. The cap is also round/octagonal and closes with a magnetic closure. The inscription "Chopard Rose Malaki" is only a sticker, which I knew from various forums and was not disappointed, although one would initially expect a small metal plate.
The top, heart, and base notes are quite close together, and you feel the dominant rose from the very beginning. Not a pink summer rose on the dress of a prepubescent teenager, but a night rose. A masculine, dark rose with initially a lot of smoke, as if you just lit your Indian incense stick. Shortly thereafter, you are transported to the leather supplier of the Emirati sultans, where the leathers of the most unlikely animals are spread out. The patchouli-vanilla finish rounds off this unique fragrance.
Thank you, Chopard! Although I will never be able to buy your (overpriced) watches, as long as you continue in the perfume business, I will be your loyal customer. The frequent flyer is on his way to the airport again...
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Trendy and Elegant
Helmut Lang's minimalist fashion has always existed between the cornerstones of trendy and elegant: just affordable enough to love, but also challenging enough to feel ahead of its time. With the return of the beloved and painfully missed Helmut Lang Eau de Parfum, I was thrilled to discover that the captivating balance of the musk notes - wonderfully soft, yet with a striking undertone of animal sensuality - is still intact. The first version of this atmospheric, compelling fragrance may have been released a decade ago, but I was not at all surprised to find that the scent feels as if it is always ahead of its time.
The contrasts of this perfume are noticeable from the very beginning. A fleeting powdery note kicks things off and grants the accompanying lavender and rosemary an uncharacteristically delicate softness. Over time, however, an emerging heart note of rose and jasmine leads the musk in a different direction; it gives it a slightly masculine, animalistic element that stands in contrast to the heart note but never overpowers it. Once the amber-wood-patchouli base takes hold, the fragrance reveals what it truly is - a flawlessly balanced masterpiece. Whether you are new to Helmut Lang or have been eagerly awaiting its return, you are dealing with something truly special here.
The contrasts of this perfume are noticeable from the very beginning. A fleeting powdery note kicks things off and grants the accompanying lavender and rosemary an uncharacteristically delicate softness. Over time, however, an emerging heart note of rose and jasmine leads the musk in a different direction; it gives it a slightly masculine, animalistic element that stands in contrast to the heart note but never overpowers it. Once the amber-wood-patchouli base takes hold, the fragrance reveals what it truly is - a flawlessly balanced masterpiece. Whether you are new to Helmut Lang or have been eagerly awaiting its return, you are dealing with something truly special here.
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Male Elegance
Sothys is an exclusive cosmetics company from France.
In 1946, the doctor and biologist Dr. Hotz founded an institute in the prestigious Rue Faubourg St. Honoré, treating the ladies of Parisian high society. He was the first to use active ingredient concentrates in glass ampoules, allowing for the absence of preservatives. This achieved sensational treatment results.
In addition to the large number of cosmetic products for women, there is also a collection for men's care. I wanted to order the Hydra Anti-Ageing Fluid and a revitalizing shower gel for hair & body. However, it wasn't that easy, as the products are rarely in stock in Germany and must be ordered through a German cosmetics company in France. After more than a month, the products arrived, and to my great surprise, also a perfume from Sothys. It was a 2-3ml sample. Until then, I had no idea that Sothys also produces fragrances.
The perfume arrived at a time when I was not yet an active member of Parfumo, and accordingly, the testing and evaluation were very fleeting. Today, of course, I would do everything differently.
About the scent
The scent does NOT smell - like with some other cosmetic manufacturers - like the corresponding facial care products. It is an independent fragrance.
The scent is a harmony of freshness and woody notes, reminiscent of a long-forgotten amber, leaving a musky sillage. A strong and meaningful expression of male elegance.
Unfortunately, there is a typo on the English translation of the French website, turning "white musk" into a very unpleasant "shite musc." Maybe that's why the perfume is so unknown? Nobody wants it! Joking aside, the marketing experts still have some work to do here.
In 1946, the doctor and biologist Dr. Hotz founded an institute in the prestigious Rue Faubourg St. Honoré, treating the ladies of Parisian high society. He was the first to use active ingredient concentrates in glass ampoules, allowing for the absence of preservatives. This achieved sensational treatment results.
In addition to the large number of cosmetic products for women, there is also a collection for men's care. I wanted to order the Hydra Anti-Ageing Fluid and a revitalizing shower gel for hair & body. However, it wasn't that easy, as the products are rarely in stock in Germany and must be ordered through a German cosmetics company in France. After more than a month, the products arrived, and to my great surprise, also a perfume from Sothys. It was a 2-3ml sample. Until then, I had no idea that Sothys also produces fragrances.
The perfume arrived at a time when I was not yet an active member of Parfumo, and accordingly, the testing and evaluation were very fleeting. Today, of course, I would do everything differently.
About the scent
The scent does NOT smell - like with some other cosmetic manufacturers - like the corresponding facial care products. It is an independent fragrance.
The scent is a harmony of freshness and woody notes, reminiscent of a long-forgotten amber, leaving a musky sillage. A strong and meaningful expression of male elegance.
Unfortunately, there is a typo on the English translation of the French website, turning "white musk" into a very unpleasant "shite musc." Maybe that's why the perfume is so unknown? Nobody wants it! Joking aside, the marketing experts still have some work to do here.
1 Comment
