SeStra

I discovered Naturomane during my holiday in a small perfumery in Rouen - and for me, this fragrance is a real highlight.

Via François is a small French house where you immediately notice the attention to detail. It starts with the bottle and certainly does not end with the beautifully designed packaging. Nothing here feels arbitrary or mass-produced. And the fragrance has the same impression.

Naturomane opens with bergamot and a delicate raspberry note. Fortunately, it does not become fruity-sweet. The raspberry gives the opening a soft, slightly juicy roundness, while the bergamot adds a touch of brightness.

After that, cardamom and cinnamon become more noticeable. Here too, everything remains wonderfully well balanced. The cinnamon does not turn festive or sticky, and the cardamom is neither too cool nor too sharp. Together, they give the fragrance a warm, elegant spiciness. In the background, patchouli and musk provide an earthy, slightly woody depth.

What particularly impresses me about Naturomane is how rounded and finely crafted it feels. No note pushes unpleasantly to the forefront, and nothing comes across as loud or overloaded. Instead, the fragrance flows quite naturally from one phase into the next.

When it comes to longevity and sillage, Naturomane is no powerhouse. It does not leave a huge scent trail behind it and becomes fairly close to the skin over time. But there, I can continue to perceive it wonderfully throughout the day. For me, this understated character suits its personality very well.

Naturomane is not a fragrance that loudly demands attention. It wins you over with refinement, warmth and a very special naturalness. One of my loveliest finds from my holiday in France.

I discovered French Barber during my holiday in France. The name naturally caught my interest right away. However, French Barber has little to do with a classic barbershop scent, at least for me.

Unfortunately, the opening with mandarin feels less fresh and zesty than I would have liked. The citrus remains rather faint and quickly fades away. After that, clary sage takes over, giving the fragrance a slightly aromatic and decidedly well-groomed direction.

I can barely detect any patchouli, on the other hand. In the drydown, French Barber becomes soft, clean and uncomplicated, although also rather unspectacular. I find it somewhat lacking in the rough edges that make a fragrance interesting and memorable.

The longevity is perfectly fine for this price range. French Barber can easily accompany you through the day without standing out particularly or bothering anyone.

In the end, it is a pleasant everyday fragrance at a fair price. It may have little to do with a barbershop scent for me, but at this price, it is perfectly okay.

From the very first spray, there is really no doubt about which direction Zaid is aiming for. The Bois Impérial DNA is immediately there and truly unmistakable. This green, spicy freshness, the basil, the dry woodiness and the slightly peppery sharpness - the association arises within just a few seconds.

Those who know Bois Impérial will therefore feel right at home here immediately. For me, Zaid is still not a one-to-one copy. As the fragrance develops, and especially in the drydown, the paths diverge slightly.

To my nose, Zaid comes across a touch softer and rounder. It does not quite possess that angular, almost metallic dryness that defines Bois Impérial for me. The woody notes remain present, but are captured a little more warmly and smoothly by ambroxan, vetiver and patchouli. As a result, Zaid may be just a little more approachable without losing the character of the familiar DNA.

Of course, there is no need to spend much time discussing where the inspiration comes from. The similarity in the opening is simply too obvious for that. Even so, Zaid develops enough individuality along the way to be more than just a careless copy for me.

Those who love Bois Impérial but sometimes find it a little too angular may have found exactly the slightly softer brother in Zaid.

Dakar by Al Rehab is an absolute value-for-money winner. Anyone familiar with Drakkar Noir will notice the similarity immediately. Green, spicy, aromatic and wonderfully classic - at times, Dakar really smells almost exactly like its inspiration to me.

Of course, this is not a modern, softened-up fougère. Dakar has rough edges and character, comes across as herbal, fresh and pleasantly old-school. But that is precisely what appeals to me about it. It has that typical well-groomed barbershop aura and does not smell cheap. 

What I find particularly impressive is the longevity. Especially for a green, spicy fougère, Dakar remains surprisingly present for a long time and has nothing to hide from significantly more expensive fragrances.

And then, of course, there is the price: For around 15 euros, you get an incredible amount of fragrance here. Anyone who likes classic fougères and appreciates Drakkar Noir can hardly go wrong with Dakar.

No great luxury, no special bottle experience - simply a really good, classic fougère at an almost unbeatable price.

I was naturally drawn to one word in this fragrance straight away: Fougère. Hugo Boss had my attention.

What I got, however, was not the classic Fougère I had expected. No edgy lavender, no mossy barbershop atmosphere and, overall, considerably less directness than many other Fougères in my collection.

I wasn't disappointed, though - quite the opposite.

Energetic Fougère opens green, fresh and slightly spicy. Mugwort and angelica give it an aromatic quality before it quickly becomes softer and rounder. I perceive the geranium and rose less as distinctly floral notes and more as a well-groomed freshness. The sandalwood finally makes the fragrance pleasantly creamy and smooth.

For me, this is above all a really beautiful office fragrance. Unobtrusive, polished and versatile. It doesn't smell as though someone is eager to show off their perfume, but simply makes its wearer seem well-dressed and well-groomed. That's precisely why I reach for it so often.

In terms of price, the Collection is naturally somewhat more expensive than a classic Boss Bottled. It isn't exactly cheap. In my opinion, though, you also get a finer and more luxurious-smelling fragrance for your money.

The name might create false expectations: I don't find it particularly energetic, and you shouldn't expect a classic Fougère either. As a soft, modern interpretation with Fougère elements, however, it works exceptionally well for me.