frmvar
Reviews
Filter & Sort
Detailed
Digitized florals
Roses, carnations and pungent florals are accompanied by a light “pissy” scent in the open. As it sits on skin, the florals open up and become more rounded, balanced and less sharp whilst retaining a dreamy quality. The florals are not photorealistic; they are like a shiny, glossy, plastified rendition of a floral scent. It reminds me of trashy early-Photoshop digital advertisement artwork. There is also a green note that comes through. I guess it’s supposed to be watermelon, but I would not have guessed that before reading the notes. This is one of those examples where artificiality is pleasant; it paints an impossible dream world that moulds to your own olfactory memories. Real enough to be believable, vague enough to allow you to create your own connections with the scent. There is a reason why this was and remains a hit.
The drydown is elegant and on my skin leaves a fruity, artificial watermelon candy sensation along with a surprisingly strong rose and carnation note. I don’t get any musk or amber, although I’m sure they are in there as balancing elements, but I’m not at all disappointed by that.
Performance is perfectly adequate for an EDT. Value is incredible. A fragrance doesn’t have to cost 150+EUR to move your imagination, and this is the proof.
Is it infinitely refined? no. But is it successful? Absolutely.
The drydown is elegant and on my skin leaves a fruity, artificial watermelon candy sensation along with a surprisingly strong rose and carnation note. I don’t get any musk or amber, although I’m sure they are in there as balancing elements, but I’m not at all disappointed by that.
Performance is perfectly adequate for an EDT. Value is incredible. A fragrance doesn’t have to cost 150+EUR to move your imagination, and this is the proof.
Is it infinitely refined? no. But is it successful? Absolutely.
Jasmine Perfected
[Subjective]
Jasmine after a light summer rain. Absolutely stunning in the clarity and quality of its simplicity. Everything here supports the jasmine in a subtle and delicate way. The special process used in this fragrance really seems to pay off, as this is the most photorealistic fresh jasmine I have smelled so far. The faecal and earthy qualities of jasmine at night are missing, though, if they were there, this would be an absolute 10. It was so fun for me to experience this scent so many times; white florals are too sweet for me. I think this fragrance is a must-try for anyone, really. It’s not cheap, but the 50ml will last you a while given its performance, and there is really nothing else like this available right now.
The Ambrosia flanker is interesting but a bit confused. It’s pleasant and fresh, but it misses the balance and clarity of the original Gelsomino a freddo
I wish more houses would take the dive into novel extraction techniques. I’d personally rather hear marketing about ingredients, sourcing and processing than see a celebrity campaign, or marketing focused solely on performance.
[Opening]
Gorgeous photorealistic fresh Jasmin, an absolutely pure and clear jasmine presentation. Once you recover from the (pleasant) floral blast, the accord is complicated by a very complementary and subtle spice alongside a green freshness that reminds me of watermelon rinds.
[Development]
Over time, the spice and a very faint smoke note become more apparent, but the jasmine remains intense and luminous in a way I haven’t perceived before. The jasmine disappears very elegantly and slowly, revealing a warm skokeyness and violet floral notes. For a floral fragrance with very little wood or musk, this is really as good as it gets in terms of quality and balance in the durational aspects of a scent.
[Performance]
Stunning, 8+ hour wear with gorgeous development. The jasmine remains present until the end. Projection is also good and not over-the-top. Masterfully made.
Jasmine after a light summer rain. Absolutely stunning in the clarity and quality of its simplicity. Everything here supports the jasmine in a subtle and delicate way. The special process used in this fragrance really seems to pay off, as this is the most photorealistic fresh jasmine I have smelled so far. The faecal and earthy qualities of jasmine at night are missing, though, if they were there, this would be an absolute 10. It was so fun for me to experience this scent so many times; white florals are too sweet for me. I think this fragrance is a must-try for anyone, really. It’s not cheap, but the 50ml will last you a while given its performance, and there is really nothing else like this available right now.
The Ambrosia flanker is interesting but a bit confused. It’s pleasant and fresh, but it misses the balance and clarity of the original Gelsomino a freddo
I wish more houses would take the dive into novel extraction techniques. I’d personally rather hear marketing about ingredients, sourcing and processing than see a celebrity campaign, or marketing focused solely on performance.
[Opening]
Gorgeous photorealistic fresh Jasmin, an absolutely pure and clear jasmine presentation. Once you recover from the (pleasant) floral blast, the accord is complicated by a very complementary and subtle spice alongside a green freshness that reminds me of watermelon rinds.
[Development]
Over time, the spice and a very faint smoke note become more apparent, but the jasmine remains intense and luminous in a way I haven’t perceived before. The jasmine disappears very elegantly and slowly, revealing a warm skokeyness and violet floral notes. For a floral fragrance with very little wood or musk, this is really as good as it gets in terms of quality and balance in the durational aspects of a scent.
[Performance]
Stunning, 8+ hour wear with gorgeous development. The jasmine remains present until the end. Projection is also good and not over-the-top. Masterfully made.
Propper Pepper Powder
[Subjective]
A pleasing powdery Pepper fragrance with lots of layering potential. The Sillage and sweetness sometimes make it feel harsh for me, but I’m particularly sensitive to this. The pink pepper is really well-made and potent, and the light musky powdery drydown is also quite enjoyable. It’s simple, focused and effective, but once the pink pepper disappears, I wish to see more depth in the floral and spice department.
[Opening]
Opens Bright and Powdery, then creamy, and finally, the spicy notes of the pink pepper come through. The powder feels “contemporary”, not like a classic powdery note, a bit on the sweeter side and more seductive than mysterious.
[Development]
As the fragrance mellows, the sweetness comes forward, joined by rounded, subtle light florals. Drydown is powdery and clean musk.
[Performance]
Performance is solid considering the character of the fragrance but nothing out of the ordinary.
A pleasing powdery Pepper fragrance with lots of layering potential. The Sillage and sweetness sometimes make it feel harsh for me, but I’m particularly sensitive to this. The pink pepper is really well-made and potent, and the light musky powdery drydown is also quite enjoyable. It’s simple, focused and effective, but once the pink pepper disappears, I wish to see more depth in the floral and spice department.
[Opening]
Opens Bright and Powdery, then creamy, and finally, the spicy notes of the pink pepper come through. The powder feels “contemporary”, not like a classic powdery note, a bit on the sweeter side and more seductive than mysterious.
[Development]
As the fragrance mellows, the sweetness comes forward, joined by rounded, subtle light florals. Drydown is powdery and clean musk.
[Performance]
Performance is solid considering the character of the fragrance but nothing out of the ordinary.
Light shines through stained glass windows
Subjective:
Excellent “cold” incense with a luminous powdery twist. On my skin, I don’t seem to be getting as much pine as others describe, but it’s still there in the background. To me, this represents a positive but still realistic representation of incense; it’s clean with lots of frankincense and not so much smoke. This isn’t the thurible swinging its way through a Gothic cathedral, but a quiet Sunday mass in a village Romanesque church.nnStill accessible for incense newcomers but with enough depth and quality to keep lovers of this genre engaged and coming back for more. The balance, Quality, Performance and tone of this fragrance is a big hit. My only critique is that whilst the Synthetic ambers add a pleasant sweetness and strength to this fragrance, they become the main protagonist after about an hour 5 of wearing this on skin. I think this is a missed opportunity to have a surprising and more distinctive finish. This “flaw” hasn't stopped me from enjoying and purchasing this fragrance, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Overall, an excellent showing from Laboratorio Olfattivo with their signature clarity of execution and elegance.nn[Opening]nDark wood and soft pine, then powdery florals for a brief time, and finally, the smoke creeps up on you after 3 minutes or so. From here, it becomes progressively more “sacred”, reaching almost photorealistic Italian church incense with a light and pleasant haze or powderyness.
Development:
Powderyness turns slightly sweeter over time, almost approaching soapy territory. The gorgeous incense fades elegantly and slowly over 4-5 hours, leaving a very faint smoke and a resinous finish. The drydown is very heavy on the ambermax, which sadly makes the last hours with this scent not as joyful as they could be.
Performance:
Solid Performance for an incense, duration is not maximised here, but instead a pleasant balance between the notes is maintained. Projection is strong but only excessive for the first 5-10 minutes; afterwards, it settles into a nice cloud surrounding the wearer. The juice is also quite strong, which makes this a really good value option for incense fragrances, considering what’s out there.
Product:
The flacon is solidly built with a haptically satisfying atomiser. The styling of the bottle is subtle and elegant, not an art-bottle, but still something that can look good when showcased. As of writing, the scent is available in 100ml and 30ml sizes, which is appreciated.
Excellent “cold” incense with a luminous powdery twist. On my skin, I don’t seem to be getting as much pine as others describe, but it’s still there in the background. To me, this represents a positive but still realistic representation of incense; it’s clean with lots of frankincense and not so much smoke. This isn’t the thurible swinging its way through a Gothic cathedral, but a quiet Sunday mass in a village Romanesque church.nnStill accessible for incense newcomers but with enough depth and quality to keep lovers of this genre engaged and coming back for more. The balance, Quality, Performance and tone of this fragrance is a big hit. My only critique is that whilst the Synthetic ambers add a pleasant sweetness and strength to this fragrance, they become the main protagonist after about an hour 5 of wearing this on skin. I think this is a missed opportunity to have a surprising and more distinctive finish. This “flaw” hasn't stopped me from enjoying and purchasing this fragrance, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Overall, an excellent showing from Laboratorio Olfattivo with their signature clarity of execution and elegance.nn[Opening]nDark wood and soft pine, then powdery florals for a brief time, and finally, the smoke creeps up on you after 3 minutes or so. From here, it becomes progressively more “sacred”, reaching almost photorealistic Italian church incense with a light and pleasant haze or powderyness.
Development:
Powderyness turns slightly sweeter over time, almost approaching soapy territory. The gorgeous incense fades elegantly and slowly over 4-5 hours, leaving a very faint smoke and a resinous finish. The drydown is very heavy on the ambermax, which sadly makes the last hours with this scent not as joyful as they could be.
Performance:
Solid Performance for an incense, duration is not maximised here, but instead a pleasant balance between the notes is maintained. Projection is strong but only excessive for the first 5-10 minutes; afterwards, it settles into a nice cloud surrounding the wearer. The juice is also quite strong, which makes this a really good value option for incense fragrances, considering what’s out there.
Product:
The flacon is solidly built with a haptically satisfying atomiser. The styling of the bottle is subtle and elegant, not an art-bottle, but still something that can look good when showcased. As of writing, the scent is available in 100ml and 30ml sizes, which is appreciated.
Performance over Quality.
Subjective:
A big flower bomb with impressive performance but questionable balance. The green notes are completely overshadowed by these extreme florals, and once they disappear, you are left with a very one-sided scent that does not olfactively distance itself much from bargain-bin floral fragrances you can find at any drugstore… maybe the ingredient quality is top-notch, but the end result is just not there for me. I think this is part of the recent pattern of houses (and customers) confusing performance for quality. It’s impressive, but ultimately soulless and unpleasant.
Opening:
Boozy champagne, followed by very intense florals with a light green freshness. Very clean, soapy feel with white flowers flanked by green grass and cloves.
Development:
The intensity of the opening lingers on quite strongly, and the more time it sat in my skin, the more the florals developed an artificial, plasticky character. Headache-inducing (to me), once the green notes leave, you are left with a bomb of white flowers with a stinging texture. Reminds me a lot of cheap drugstore (Europe) wet wipes…. Sadly, in a bad way. It dries down to a more reasonable floral accord from which I get a really beautiful rose in the end.
Performance:
Crazy projection, offensively strong, impressive in a way. Duration is also really strong, and the last 6 hours are actually enjoyable.
A big flower bomb with impressive performance but questionable balance. The green notes are completely overshadowed by these extreme florals, and once they disappear, you are left with a very one-sided scent that does not olfactively distance itself much from bargain-bin floral fragrances you can find at any drugstore… maybe the ingredient quality is top-notch, but the end result is just not there for me. I think this is part of the recent pattern of houses (and customers) confusing performance for quality. It’s impressive, but ultimately soulless and unpleasant.
Opening:
Boozy champagne, followed by very intense florals with a light green freshness. Very clean, soapy feel with white flowers flanked by green grass and cloves.
Development:
The intensity of the opening lingers on quite strongly, and the more time it sat in my skin, the more the florals developed an artificial, plasticky character. Headache-inducing (to me), once the green notes leave, you are left with a bomb of white flowers with a stinging texture. Reminds me a lot of cheap drugstore (Europe) wet wipes…. Sadly, in a bad way. It dries down to a more reasonable floral accord from which I get a really beautiful rose in the end.
Performance:
Crazy projection, offensively strong, impressive in a way. Duration is also really strong, and the last 6 hours are actually enjoyable.
