Telekinec

This is a very shockingly similar perfume (might I even say a dupe) to "Vanilla Woods (Eau de Parfum) | The 7 Virtues". If I had known before blind-buying it, I might have skipped over it. Thankfully my boyfriend loves Vanilla Woods, so I was able to give it to him.

Vanilla Iconique starts out with a strong fruity note. I detect ripe peaches: juicy and tangy. The peach note eerily ressembles that of a pear which is probably where people draw comparison with Vanilla Woods. I smell a hint of fruity almond that also tries to peak through. Cedar is pretty tame which surprised me. Magnolia gives off a floral, fruity vibe that further enhances the pear note I detect from the peaches. Vanilla ends up combining with everything to give off this sweet, gourmand accord. It's a deeper and more complex perfume. Musk and ambergris adds freshness and a lighter feel near the end. There was also a comforting warmth at the edge of it all.

It's a perfume fit for warm weather as it's not too cloying or too headache inducing. I can clearly see myself wearing at the beach as it has low sillage and projection. It is stronger than what I thought it would be, but still bearable. I will be giving it to my boyfriend as I'm not a Vanilla Woods fragrance lover and this one reminds me too much of it, but it's, nonetheles, a nice fruity vanilla.

This is most definitely a fragrance for men and the first reason why it won't be added to my collection. I don't think "Gentle fluidity (Gold) | Maison Francis Kurkdjian" has anything to do with this one, except that Gold is the feminine one while Silver is the masculine one. I think they have different notes and accords to be interpreted not as a couple but as single fragrances made in the same perfume house. It's a sophisticated, classy and tasteful freshie fragrance fit for a man that's wearing a white cotton t-shirt, blue jeans and with a freshly cut beard out in the sun with an ocean backdrop (Imma stop there, I think you get the idea). Juniper berries are extremely strong on my skin quite spicy and fresh, giving me old 1990s cologne (think Coty's "Preferred Stock | Coty"). Woods are the second most prominent note and with the spicy and fresh notes, give me this men cologne vibe. I detect almost no vanilla or musk.

It's not bad, but not something unique as I feel I've smelled a hint of it in other classic men's cologne. I feel like it's pretty pricey for what it offers, even though I have to admit it has nice a nice performance. Gave my remaining sample to my boyfriend and I'm curious to see how it'll turn out on his skin. For me, it's a no though.

I swear I wanted to jump on the hype train and add a Francis Kurkdjian perfume to my collection, but it will not be this one. Really thought I'd love it based on the notes, but on my skin, it's a whole different story.

Vanilla accompanied by a blast of gin accord (probably the alcohol and the juniper berry) at the start. Then I get a strange rose (?) scent that's floral and aromatic, although there's none of it in the notes described (I'm still baffled). After this alien rose ends up leaving, I get sweetness, spices and a hint of woodiness underneath. There's a sharpness in this perfume that's off-putting to me and I just can't get over it. After about an hour or so, aromatics remain while vanilla and musks start peaking through. It's unfortunately not enough to save this perfume that smelled almost like an alcoholic drink.

Maybe it's a skin chemistry thing or maybe it's just the hype train that promised me something that wasn't there. I'm just glad I got to try and and didn't fall for the FOMO because this is definitely not the best vanilla i've smelled out there.

Inlé is a gentle and soft fragrance with an unusual accord of flowers and aromatics. As soon as I laid a drop of it on my skin, I was swept away by the picture of a gentle breeze playfully bending flowers and herbs near a calm and tranquil lake. It's a perfume fit for contemplation, for taking the time for yourself and for slowing down. It'll never be a giant or a beast, quite content to be what it is. It doesn't have enormous sillage (does it even have any?) nor any projection, but it's a perfume I might just add to my collection for its unique thoughtfulness and composition.

A hint of herbs and freshness at the top, immediately swept away by the florals in the middle. Jasmine sambac is on the fruitier side: sweet with a hint of creaminess. Osmanthus is creamy, slightly powdery, but with that hint of carnal fruitiness. Maté gives it the tea vibe: a bit green, herbal and absolutely aromatic. The drydown is sweet, green and warm, like a hug. There's something in the middle notes, where the fruitiness is expressed that has me in a chokehold. Whenever I catch a whiff of it, I can't help but take in a deep breath and ground myself. It's a very soothing perfume for quieter moments. It's definitely something to try, but I do have to warn you the performance is not the best.

Somewhere between "Love Don't Be Shy (Perfume) | Kilian", "I Don't Need A Prince By My Side To Be A Princess | Kilian" and "Sci Fi | Ellis Brooklyn" lies Sintra as the more mature and adult one of the family. It starts beautifully with citruses (tart and refreshing) and a touch of marshmallow sweetness. After a few minutes, the strong (ever so strong on my skin) cedarwood rears its head and gives the fragrance a sharp, spicy and woody twist. Thankfully, it ends up calming down a bit and blending in with the rest of the perfume. The fragrance turns soft, clean and pretty with hints of tart citruses, a slightly warm and toasty spiciness with the sweetness of marshmallows. There's also a hint of powderiness coming in from the floral.

The perfume never gets too sweet, too cloying, too floral or too spicy (except for that strange 15 minutes where cedarwood almost took over everything). It's a delicious gourmand fragrance with a clean girl aesthetic, soft and comforting.