Top Rated Reviews
2023
Thatbwoy
You took the money and blew it!
Save your money
Managed to get a sample and there’s absolutely nothing great about this.
It smells generic as hell, cheap like something you’d find ‘on special offer’ at your local supermarket. When I sampled it I had this weird sense that I wanted to be wrong in my assumptions about this, I wanted to be surprised by the fact that this would be a fragrance that was worth the manufactured hype. I was a little surprised when I smelt it. I was perversely thinking, possibly hoping it would be awful and grim; but it was not that it was just 'very ok'. By 'very Ok' I mean it was not anything you'd want to wrestle your wallet out your pocket and buy. I don't think this is worth half the RRP, I thinks this would be a decent cheapie if it was priced under 50bills, but at its price point its shamelessly overpriced. The odd thing about this is the fact people will buy this just to advertise they have it on social media to sell it days later at an inflated cost. Who are these people who watch the 'influencers' and believe them?
This fragrance is not good. It's a ok cheapie, with a second rate one-hit wonder rapper's patronage
And should serve as a lesson to all to:
NEVER LISTEN TO YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS!!!!
If you see this hyped any any influencer you can rest assured that they have awful taste, or they have taken the pay off and they are not to be trusted any stretch.
Managed to get a sample and there’s absolutely nothing great about this.
It smells generic as hell, cheap like something you’d find ‘on special offer’ at your local supermarket. When I sampled it I had this weird sense that I wanted to be wrong in my assumptions about this, I wanted to be surprised by the fact that this would be a fragrance that was worth the manufactured hype. I was a little surprised when I smelt it. I was perversely thinking, possibly hoping it would be awful and grim; but it was not that it was just 'very ok'. By 'very Ok' I mean it was not anything you'd want to wrestle your wallet out your pocket and buy. I don't think this is worth half the RRP, I thinks this would be a decent cheapie if it was priced under 50bills, but at its price point its shamelessly overpriced. The odd thing about this is the fact people will buy this just to advertise they have it on social media to sell it days later at an inflated cost. Who are these people who watch the 'influencers' and believe them?
This fragrance is not good. It's a ok cheapie, with a second rate one-hit wonder rapper's patronage
And should serve as a lesson to all to:
NEVER LISTEN TO YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS!!!!
If you see this hyped any any influencer you can rest assured that they have awful taste, or they have taken the pay off and they are not to be trusted any stretch.
3 Comments
Elysium
No Two Sunrises Are The Same
Saudi Arabia is a land of many wonders, and the red sand desert is one of the most captivating natural landscapes that will enchant visitors. Northeastern Riyadh's vast expanse of red sand dunes is a breathtaking, almost surreal sight. Even if I've never been there, the images on the web leave me speechless. The reddish hue of the sand creates a picturesque view that looks like a painting of the most fantastic desert landscape you can ever imagine. There's little to see if you're looking for breathtaking scenery, but the vast desert you see around you as you drive to the area might evoke immense happiness that's better felt than understood. Red Sand has become a popular weekend destination among Saudis and desert-loving ex-pats. Some locals go to Red Sand from time to time to escape the noise of the city. As the name suggests, the sand is red. No two sunrises are the same, especially watching the sun rise over the red sand dunes.
After this brief heavenly description, I want to tell you what emotions Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes gives me. Among the four items of the Series N° 02 collection, this is the most citrus, fresh, and slightly floral. It starts with a citrus blast, solid and harsh, which slowly turns into something creamy, sweet, and velvety. If you smell it immediately, too close, it's aggressive. Don't let the initial extreme citric bomb made of tangerine and bergamot peel affect your judgment, as the scent gradually subsides to reveal creamy, soapy, musky, and ambery facets that you wouldn't expect. It is a modern barbershop with a gourmand touch. The bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea, creamy and zesty. There is a nuance of lemony herbs like lemongrass and citronella leaves. The opening is smooth and clean, like a gust of fresh morning air. Maybe it's nostalgia, but this opening smells like a morning in Tuscany. It reminds me so much of a beautiful bar of Atkinson soap, the yellow Golden Cologne, with a fragrance that offers an exclusive sparkling citrus note.
The orange blossom grows and grows and has a barber's touch, so soapy. If you like the soap accord in perfumes, you'll appreciate the subtle soapiness here. A freshly cut ginger root, spicier, envelops the bitterness of the orange blossom, and the heart continues with an accord that is still tart but with floral overtones. The pungent ginger works well with the citrusy and floral orange blossom top notes. Sometimes, I smell the sweet and warm spicy notes of cinnamon, which I find very close to those of "L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Issey Miyake".
The dry-down holds the orange blossom bitterness, which now shares the stage with the cassis leaves harshness. Ambroxan amplifies and releases a whiff of sweetness and saltiness. Underneath, I catch notes of grass, straw, and something slightly smoky. The initial zestiness is subdued, but an almost lemony undertone still lingers. The underground also features a sweet, soapy, and gentle musk, nothing animalic or dirty.
Ultimately, Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes differs from the other items in the collection, far from "Evening Safari Drive | Zara" by Mylene Alran herself, but also from previous versions by ZARA. Quite unique, its projection is good at first, then becomes moderate. For a citrus scent, longevity is more than acceptable and not disappointing. I can wear it as an everyday perfume for warm spring and hot summer to work, casually around the house, or out with friends. Its pleasant aroma makes it a compliment getter especially in the initial phase when the projection is intense.
I'm basing my impression on a bottle I've owned since March 2023 (BC 30680).
-Elysium
After this brief heavenly description, I want to tell you what emotions Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes gives me. Among the four items of the Series N° 02 collection, this is the most citrus, fresh, and slightly floral. It starts with a citrus blast, solid and harsh, which slowly turns into something creamy, sweet, and velvety. If you smell it immediately, too close, it's aggressive. Don't let the initial extreme citric bomb made of tangerine and bergamot peel affect your judgment, as the scent gradually subsides to reveal creamy, soapy, musky, and ambery facets that you wouldn't expect. It is a modern barbershop with a gourmand touch. The bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea, creamy and zesty. There is a nuance of lemony herbs like lemongrass and citronella leaves. The opening is smooth and clean, like a gust of fresh morning air. Maybe it's nostalgia, but this opening smells like a morning in Tuscany. It reminds me so much of a beautiful bar of Atkinson soap, the yellow Golden Cologne, with a fragrance that offers an exclusive sparkling citrus note.
The orange blossom grows and grows and has a barber's touch, so soapy. If you like the soap accord in perfumes, you'll appreciate the subtle soapiness here. A freshly cut ginger root, spicier, envelops the bitterness of the orange blossom, and the heart continues with an accord that is still tart but with floral overtones. The pungent ginger works well with the citrusy and floral orange blossom top notes. Sometimes, I smell the sweet and warm spicy notes of cinnamon, which I find very close to those of "L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Issey Miyake".
The dry-down holds the orange blossom bitterness, which now shares the stage with the cassis leaves harshness. Ambroxan amplifies and releases a whiff of sweetness and saltiness. Underneath, I catch notes of grass, straw, and something slightly smoky. The initial zestiness is subdued, but an almost lemony undertone still lingers. The underground also features a sweet, soapy, and gentle musk, nothing animalic or dirty.
Ultimately, Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes differs from the other items in the collection, far from "Evening Safari Drive | Zara" by Mylene Alran herself, but also from previous versions by ZARA. Quite unique, its projection is good at first, then becomes moderate. For a citrus scent, longevity is more than acceptable and not disappointing. I can wear it as an everyday perfume for warm spring and hot summer to work, casually around the house, or out with friends. Its pleasant aroma makes it a compliment getter especially in the initial phase when the projection is intense.
I'm basing my impression on a bottle I've owned since March 2023 (BC 30680).
-Elysium
Mitchcraft
Sweet dreams are made of these.
There is something about this fragrance that makes me feel so comfortable and relaxed. I would have said it was the lavender but it has been reformulated and there is no lavender in it anymore.
Still this fragrance has the ability to make me feel like i am wrapped up in a bed of soft feathers and ready to dream away.
I often spray this at night when i am having trouble sleeping and feeling stressed as i toss and turn trying to get my much needed beauty sleep. It just says to me, soft, comfortable linin and at the same time there is something masculine about it which i think could be the tobacco flower.
Some people called the original the washing machine detergent fragrance because of all the lavender scented detergents out there today and is probably why they changed things up a bit because you don't want that to be the association of the last fragrance that was created by Versace himself before his untimely passing. Even though the lavender is not there anymore there is still a resemblance to that kind of scent which is probably why people get that feeling of relaxation and comfort from it.
The Dreamer has this ability to transform the way your clothing feels. You could be wearing that horrible scratchy wool everyone hates, but with one spray of this it would make it feel like you are suddenly wearing some of the softest materials on Earth. It really is amazing how this fragrance works on more than just the sense of smell by affecting other senses also. I find i feel like my skin is softer when i wear this.
I love the bottle with the frosted medusa head, it looks very classy and the atomizer is one of, if not the best in my collection. Both in the design and the performance from it as it gives out an amazing blast of juice that is well distributed.
The price is amazing, you can always find it on sale at reputable stores from the RRP of roughly £50 for 100ml down to roughly £25 and it is absolutely worth it.
It's not something you will find yourself wearing on a night out because longevity is just not there so unless you have a way to bring it with you and keep respraying you are always going to find something else in your collection for that purpose. No, this is for as i said previously at night, relaxing at home as i often see many other people say they use this every night before they go to bed as it makes them have a good nights sleep and it definitely has a great name for such a thing.
When i first got it i couldn't help keep respraying it i loved it that much but now i like to keep it for those nights where i am feeling anxious about something as it will instantly have that calming affect on me.
If you don't have this in your collection you should go for it because for the price i don't think you will find anything else quite like it. I have a number of fragrances that smell similar in some way to each other, but i can't say the same about The Dreamer.
Still this fragrance has the ability to make me feel like i am wrapped up in a bed of soft feathers and ready to dream away.
I often spray this at night when i am having trouble sleeping and feeling stressed as i toss and turn trying to get my much needed beauty sleep. It just says to me, soft, comfortable linin and at the same time there is something masculine about it which i think could be the tobacco flower.
Some people called the original the washing machine detergent fragrance because of all the lavender scented detergents out there today and is probably why they changed things up a bit because you don't want that to be the association of the last fragrance that was created by Versace himself before his untimely passing. Even though the lavender is not there anymore there is still a resemblance to that kind of scent which is probably why people get that feeling of relaxation and comfort from it.
The Dreamer has this ability to transform the way your clothing feels. You could be wearing that horrible scratchy wool everyone hates, but with one spray of this it would make it feel like you are suddenly wearing some of the softest materials on Earth. It really is amazing how this fragrance works on more than just the sense of smell by affecting other senses also. I find i feel like my skin is softer when i wear this.
I love the bottle with the frosted medusa head, it looks very classy and the atomizer is one of, if not the best in my collection. Both in the design and the performance from it as it gives out an amazing blast of juice that is well distributed.
The price is amazing, you can always find it on sale at reputable stores from the RRP of roughly £50 for 100ml down to roughly £25 and it is absolutely worth it.
It's not something you will find yourself wearing on a night out because longevity is just not there so unless you have a way to bring it with you and keep respraying you are always going to find something else in your collection for that purpose. No, this is for as i said previously at night, relaxing at home as i often see many other people say they use this every night before they go to bed as it makes them have a good nights sleep and it definitely has a great name for such a thing.
When i first got it i couldn't help keep respraying it i loved it that much but now i like to keep it for those nights where i am feeling anxious about something as it will instantly have that calming affect on me.
If you don't have this in your collection you should go for it because for the price i don't think you will find anything else quite like it. I have a number of fragrances that smell similar in some way to each other, but i can't say the same about The Dreamer.
4 Comments
IdleExpatter
The joy of being pleasant
In every hobby, you hit that point where you overcomplicate things.
You spend hours falling down the review rabbit hole (hi, thanks for reading my review!)
You start prioritizing your fragrances by compliments they've gotten (or, more likely, that you wish they'd get you).
You set your heart on a new fragrance only to agonize over that ONE reviewer who said it was too mainstream to have any merit.
And you start to worry that a fragrance needs to be edgy, complicated, and esoteric - maybe even generally off-putting - to be worthy of your attention.
If you find yourself stressing out about this hobby like that, give Pacific Rock Moss a try, because this is one of the most joyously pleasant and uplifting fragrances I've tried.
Wearing it makes me feel happy. It's nice. It's just nice. And that's great!
That doesn't mean it's boring: it isn't. This opens as a juicy, vivacious citrus with all the bitterness stripped away. There's none of that zesty bite you sometimes get from citrus fragrances. It's a beautiful fresh scent.
As you glide along on that smooth and mellow lemon, you pick up a little bit of an oceanic touch, but in a way that's reminiscent rather than photorealistic. You won't smell LIKE the seaside, but you'll smell like the IDEA of the seaside.
As it dries down, a touch of woodiness comes out to deepen the experience, but it never gets too dark or too rich.
I know some folks have said "shower gel", and I sorta see what they mean as far as the overall scent profile, but I want to be clear that this stuff never goes soapy (for me, anyway). It's the aroma of a shower gel, not the chemistry of one.
I have never had a complaint about the performance. Now, to be clear, I am the OPPOSITE of those collectors who think that every fragrance needs to last 60 hours and choke out everybody in a 10-mile radius to be respectable. I much prefer my fragrances to have good manners and stay fairly close (I wear for myself, not to force others to experience my hobby). But this stuff still lasts a perfectly respectable and sensible 8+ hours on me, and throughout that time it pokes its head up and says hi.
This isn't going to challenge your idea of what fragrance can be. It isn't going to make any of your friends go "ew yuck what is that" so you can rush off to the forums and scoff at how their unrefined palates can't appreciate your niche masterpiece that smells like a rotting carcass.
It IS going to smell really really good, and be super pleasant, and maybe - just maybe - if you let it - it will make you feel happy too.
You spend hours falling down the review rabbit hole (hi, thanks for reading my review!)
You start prioritizing your fragrances by compliments they've gotten (or, more likely, that you wish they'd get you).
You set your heart on a new fragrance only to agonize over that ONE reviewer who said it was too mainstream to have any merit.
And you start to worry that a fragrance needs to be edgy, complicated, and esoteric - maybe even generally off-putting - to be worthy of your attention.
If you find yourself stressing out about this hobby like that, give Pacific Rock Moss a try, because this is one of the most joyously pleasant and uplifting fragrances I've tried.
Wearing it makes me feel happy. It's nice. It's just nice. And that's great!
That doesn't mean it's boring: it isn't. This opens as a juicy, vivacious citrus with all the bitterness stripped away. There's none of that zesty bite you sometimes get from citrus fragrances. It's a beautiful fresh scent.
As you glide along on that smooth and mellow lemon, you pick up a little bit of an oceanic touch, but in a way that's reminiscent rather than photorealistic. You won't smell LIKE the seaside, but you'll smell like the IDEA of the seaside.
As it dries down, a touch of woodiness comes out to deepen the experience, but it never gets too dark or too rich.
I know some folks have said "shower gel", and I sorta see what they mean as far as the overall scent profile, but I want to be clear that this stuff never goes soapy (for me, anyway). It's the aroma of a shower gel, not the chemistry of one.
I have never had a complaint about the performance. Now, to be clear, I am the OPPOSITE of those collectors who think that every fragrance needs to last 60 hours and choke out everybody in a 10-mile radius to be respectable. I much prefer my fragrances to have good manners and stay fairly close (I wear for myself, not to force others to experience my hobby). But this stuff still lasts a perfectly respectable and sensible 8+ hours on me, and throughout that time it pokes its head up and says hi.
This isn't going to challenge your idea of what fragrance can be. It isn't going to make any of your friends go "ew yuck what is that" so you can rush off to the forums and scoff at how their unrefined palates can't appreciate your niche masterpiece that smells like a rotting carcass.
It IS going to smell really really good, and be super pleasant, and maybe - just maybe - if you let it - it will make you feel happy too.
HugoMontez
Timeless masculine icon
This classic 1982 fougère is really fascinating, especially looking at a distance. At that time, masculines were starting to make a turn with the recent animalic fragrances (Kouros, Antaeus...). So everything was strong, powerfull and invasive.
Of course we already had citrus colognes (i.e. Eau Sauvage) or mossy green fougères (Polo, Paco Rabanne...) but nothing came across fresh and masculine as this one. And the reason why Drakkar noir is inexpectedly fresh is beacause of dihydromyrcenol, used in detergents to increase the sense of freshness and cleaness, but until then, not so much used in fragrances.
The perfumer Pierre Wargnye took a classic fougère structure and added dihydromyrcenol, turning it really fresh and clean, something not very easy to achieved at the time. It was a instant best seller.
The fragrance starts off with lavender, rosemary and lemon. Fresh, aromatic and a tiny bit of citruses. It has a creamy shaving foam aftertaste and that's why this became on of the most influential and classic barbershop fragrances.
As it dries down, the fragrance became more woody, a bit mossy and lightly leathery, but never reaches the full leather scent. Just enough to bring more depth.
Pierre Wargnye was a great perfumer with some classic fragrances in his catalog. Drakkar Noir was his first masculine and perhaps his most famous but he was in the team that created L'Homme and La Nuit de L'Homme, and he created Boss Number one or the underrated Baldessarini Cologne.
Drakkar Noir is probably the Sauvage of the 80's, meaning it was very popular along young guys, very appealing, masculine and sexy! But also, very influential and original. Pierre Bourdon took inspiration for his Green Irish Tweed and Cool Water, turning the scent less barbershop and even more fresher.
But talking about Drakkar Noir, it is still a great value for the money, a great barbeshop fragrance, pretty much timeless, and easy to wear. Guy Laroche never had such a bit hit after this one. Horizon was a flop and discontinued years after, although a great aquatic scent, it didn't bring the originality and still mainstream appeal that Drakkar Noir have and this is one of the few examples of a flanker surpassing the original, which ended up being discontinued during the 90's.
I have a mini 15ml bottle from the 90's that has a bit more oakmoss than the today's version, although, even the current one is good enough, just a bit cleaner. The performance is really average. Don't expect a bomb cause this one never was. But it's pretty solid 5-6h and, if you overapply it, you might get an 1 or 2 hours plus.
This is a classic and a must have fragrance. Super inexpensive, still relevant, masculine, herbal, fresh and clean, a pleasure to wear.
4/5
Of course we already had citrus colognes (i.e. Eau Sauvage) or mossy green fougères (Polo, Paco Rabanne...) but nothing came across fresh and masculine as this one. And the reason why Drakkar noir is inexpectedly fresh is beacause of dihydromyrcenol, used in detergents to increase the sense of freshness and cleaness, but until then, not so much used in fragrances.
The perfumer Pierre Wargnye took a classic fougère structure and added dihydromyrcenol, turning it really fresh and clean, something not very easy to achieved at the time. It was a instant best seller.
The fragrance starts off with lavender, rosemary and lemon. Fresh, aromatic and a tiny bit of citruses. It has a creamy shaving foam aftertaste and that's why this became on of the most influential and classic barbershop fragrances.
As it dries down, the fragrance became more woody, a bit mossy and lightly leathery, but never reaches the full leather scent. Just enough to bring more depth.
Pierre Wargnye was a great perfumer with some classic fragrances in his catalog. Drakkar Noir was his first masculine and perhaps his most famous but he was in the team that created L'Homme and La Nuit de L'Homme, and he created Boss Number one or the underrated Baldessarini Cologne.
Drakkar Noir is probably the Sauvage of the 80's, meaning it was very popular along young guys, very appealing, masculine and sexy! But also, very influential and original. Pierre Bourdon took inspiration for his Green Irish Tweed and Cool Water, turning the scent less barbershop and even more fresher.
But talking about Drakkar Noir, it is still a great value for the money, a great barbeshop fragrance, pretty much timeless, and easy to wear. Guy Laroche never had such a bit hit after this one. Horizon was a flop and discontinued years after, although a great aquatic scent, it didn't bring the originality and still mainstream appeal that Drakkar Noir have and this is one of the few examples of a flanker surpassing the original, which ended up being discontinued during the 90's.
I have a mini 15ml bottle from the 90's that has a bit more oakmoss than the today's version, although, even the current one is good enough, just a bit cleaner. The performance is really average. Don't expect a bomb cause this one never was. But it's pretty solid 5-6h and, if you overapply it, you might get an 1 or 2 hours plus.
This is a classic and a must have fragrance. Super inexpensive, still relevant, masculine, herbal, fresh and clean, a pleasure to wear.
4/5
1 Comment
Uncrated
Harmonious Balance
WHAT IT IS
This is the closest scent I've found to the PNW coast in summertime... dry cedar wood, wildflowers in a meadow, someone peeling a citrus fruit nearby, and a clean coastal musk (cashmeran???). After years of ever more powerful Sauvage flankers, Demachy hit the reset button on the Dior Homme line and gave us what might be the most perfectly balanced - and tastefully restrained - men's fragrance in a generation. There's a burst of citrus to open, then it's all luxurious cedar wood and musk with some floral accords drifting by during the dry down. Linear for 6+ hours (which is excellent for an EDT) and while I go noseblind quickly, others can still smell it.
WHO IT'S FOR
Men over ~30 seeking one bottle for all seasons, all occasions, and all moods. You likely believe versatility is more important than making a statement, but you also don't want a "dumb reach" when you can have something as sophisticated as this.
ALTERNATIVES
Let's start with what's NOT an alternative: Dior Homme 2005/2011/Original, Intense, and Parfum which are all (beautiful) iris & leather fragrances, but bear almost no resemblance to Dior Homme 2020. Want more citrus? Dior Homme Sport dials up the bergamot and has punchier projection based on the same DNA - it's excellent. Bleu de Chanel EDT, EDP, and Parfum have somewhat similar citrus + woodsy notes with the Parfum coming closest to replicating the musky dry down; all are more "blue shower gel" + powdery to my nose.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As a die-hard fan of Polge's groundbreaking original, my decant of Dior Homme 2020 went from "meh" to "that's not bad..." to "wow there's a lot of complexity" to purchasing a full bottle as my daily driver in the span of two weeks. Time will tell if it deserves a perfect 10 (I need to test it in winter), but this might be my favorite creation of Demachy's to date. Dior's only mistake was reusing the Homme nameplate which seemed to inflame a lot of negativity around what is otherwise an outstanding grown up fragrance. Very highly recommended.
This is the closest scent I've found to the PNW coast in summertime... dry cedar wood, wildflowers in a meadow, someone peeling a citrus fruit nearby, and a clean coastal musk (cashmeran???). After years of ever more powerful Sauvage flankers, Demachy hit the reset button on the Dior Homme line and gave us what might be the most perfectly balanced - and tastefully restrained - men's fragrance in a generation. There's a burst of citrus to open, then it's all luxurious cedar wood and musk with some floral accords drifting by during the dry down. Linear for 6+ hours (which is excellent for an EDT) and while I go noseblind quickly, others can still smell it.
WHO IT'S FOR
Men over ~30 seeking one bottle for all seasons, all occasions, and all moods. You likely believe versatility is more important than making a statement, but you also don't want a "dumb reach" when you can have something as sophisticated as this.
ALTERNATIVES
Let's start with what's NOT an alternative: Dior Homme 2005/2011/Original, Intense, and Parfum which are all (beautiful) iris & leather fragrances, but bear almost no resemblance to Dior Homme 2020. Want more citrus? Dior Homme Sport dials up the bergamot and has punchier projection based on the same DNA - it's excellent. Bleu de Chanel EDT, EDP, and Parfum have somewhat similar citrus + woodsy notes with the Parfum coming closest to replicating the musky dry down; all are more "blue shower gel" + powdery to my nose.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As a die-hard fan of Polge's groundbreaking original, my decant of Dior Homme 2020 went from "meh" to "that's not bad..." to "wow there's a lot of complexity" to purchasing a full bottle as my daily driver in the span of two weeks. Time will tell if it deserves a perfect 10 (I need to test it in winter), but this might be my favorite creation of Demachy's to date. Dior's only mistake was reusing the Homme nameplate which seemed to inflame a lot of negativity around what is otherwise an outstanding grown up fragrance. Very highly recommended.
1 Comment
ScentSlave
I love how polarizing fragrances can be…
… and this one is an absolutely perfect example of exactly that. Whether it’s the scent itself,the projection, or even the longevity, this one plucks EVERY string in the chord of polarity.
It’s SO inexpensive, so a frag junkie like myself absolutely HAD to pull the trigger on a blind buy try.
$25 later, here we are.
I’m SHOCKED that this is SO inexpensive, because no one would suspect this as being such. It’s well arranged, and just the blend makes it worth the cost of admission, whether you like the scent or not, it’s completely worthy of the price tag.
As far as how I feel about the scent itself?
I love it. It’s got a darkness to it, and it makes me envision a cartoonish picture when I close my eyes; a purple sky, with black tree shadows, and a moving cream colored moon. That’s how I feel about it. Not quite as gothic as many do, but dark indeed. It then blends and mixes into what I imagine moist, old tree stumps would smell like on a cold, damp night. I absolutely could not stop smelling my wrist.
Now performance wise? I honestly think that people who question its projection and longevity might be the same people that can’t detect ISO-e Super. The loud projection feels like it has a glowing radiance (as if I jumped into a pool of plutonium, and now glow in the dark). Sillage is also quite direct; and everyone will know WHO the radioactive individual is. It lasted 8+ hours on me, becoming closer to the skin at the 4 hour mark.
I see this on a confident performer type personality; maybe a musician or an artist. Confident and oblivious to what an outside opinion might be. On the person who can pull it off, it will generate a multitude of compliments, because that person already has a following, and the fans will eat it up and fall in love with it.
Probably the best $25 I’ve spent in a long time.
It’s SO inexpensive, so a frag junkie like myself absolutely HAD to pull the trigger on a blind buy try.
$25 later, here we are.
I’m SHOCKED that this is SO inexpensive, because no one would suspect this as being such. It’s well arranged, and just the blend makes it worth the cost of admission, whether you like the scent or not, it’s completely worthy of the price tag.
As far as how I feel about the scent itself?
I love it. It’s got a darkness to it, and it makes me envision a cartoonish picture when I close my eyes; a purple sky, with black tree shadows, and a moving cream colored moon. That’s how I feel about it. Not quite as gothic as many do, but dark indeed. It then blends and mixes into what I imagine moist, old tree stumps would smell like on a cold, damp night. I absolutely could not stop smelling my wrist.
Now performance wise? I honestly think that people who question its projection and longevity might be the same people that can’t detect ISO-e Super. The loud projection feels like it has a glowing radiance (as if I jumped into a pool of plutonium, and now glow in the dark). Sillage is also quite direct; and everyone will know WHO the radioactive individual is. It lasted 8+ hours on me, becoming closer to the skin at the 4 hour mark.
I see this on a confident performer type personality; maybe a musician or an artist. Confident and oblivious to what an outside opinion might be. On the person who can pull it off, it will generate a multitude of compliments, because that person already has a following, and the fans will eat it up and fall in love with it.
Probably the best $25 I’ve spent in a long time.
6 Comments
Ineed1936
The perfect fougere: Lalique Pour Homme Lion EDP
Yes, you hear it right, i think this is the perfect multidimensional fougere in this genre! Lalique, what a house, with more than 130 years of history.
Lalique its also visible, without question, within their perfumes.
This is an absolutely uncompromising creation, the great perfumer Maurice Roucel, who makes perfumest since the 70s, managed to bring an ode, to the classic male perfumes from the 80s, achieving a masterpiece, in 1997!
The theme is excellently chosen, the bottle is pur Lalique, their own creation, the embossed lion makes this bottle one of the most beautiful perfume bottles created.
The perfume begins with green, evervescent and sharp notes, the lavender is as French as possible, the herbal elements through rosemary and citrus begin excellently, followed strongly from behind by a healthy dose of oak moss, at least in the vintage bottle I have , from 2003, absolutely yellow-brown in color, the dose of oak moss is generous and gives the perfume depth and sharpness.
An iris, perfectly centered by Roucel, as creamy as possible but dusty at the same time, all placed on a creamy base of real ambragris (in the old versions) and a vanilla with a sandalwood, flawless!
The perfume has a backbone, it has everything it needs to design and accompany you all day!
Superlative performance and I think it is the best fougere in this area!
Congratulations to Lalique and the perfumer for this creation!
10/10
Lalique its also visible, without question, within their perfumes.
This is an absolutely uncompromising creation, the great perfumer Maurice Roucel, who makes perfumest since the 70s, managed to bring an ode, to the classic male perfumes from the 80s, achieving a masterpiece, in 1997!
The theme is excellently chosen, the bottle is pur Lalique, their own creation, the embossed lion makes this bottle one of the most beautiful perfume bottles created.
The perfume begins with green, evervescent and sharp notes, the lavender is as French as possible, the herbal elements through rosemary and citrus begin excellently, followed strongly from behind by a healthy dose of oak moss, at least in the vintage bottle I have , from 2003, absolutely yellow-brown in color, the dose of oak moss is generous and gives the perfume depth and sharpness.
An iris, perfectly centered by Roucel, as creamy as possible but dusty at the same time, all placed on a creamy base of real ambragris (in the old versions) and a vanilla with a sandalwood, flawless!
The perfume has a backbone, it has everything it needs to design and accompany you all day!
Superlative performance and I think it is the best fougere in this area!
Congratulations to Lalique and the perfumer for this creation!
10/10
DrB1414
To go down in history...
Muscs Koublai Kahn is a legend for a reason. This is the best synthetic musk perfume to ever bestow the fragrance world. But there's more to this than just Musk (synthetic accord).
Quick reformulation tip/advice, THE CURRENT VERSION SMELLS IDENTICAL TO THE VINTAGE, please don't spend 500 USD on vintage bottles. I have a vintage bottle and tested the Gratte Ciel version side by side, blotter, skin, it smells identical. This one is my favorite Serge Lutens perfume ever and one of my favorite perfumes of all time, so trust me on this. Get yourself samples of all versions if you are skeptical, but of all Serge Lutens reformulations, MKK is probably the best preserved and close to the old vintage version. Don't feed the Fragcom trolls.
Back to the scent. To me, MKK showcases a very true-to-life synthetic Musk Accord. Sheldrake really did magic with this one. The musk is there but there's a lot more going on of course. There are many other animalic notes used here, civet, ambergris, castoreum, ambrette, and lots of cumin. So, as you can imagine, this is quite a dirty perfume. However, we are talking here about Sheldrake who has proved himself again and again, so he doesn't just throw in all the animalic notes hoping for the best. He balances out the dirty facets with very well-placed resins, that sweeten up the perfume, a hint of rose, a touch of honey. He depicts, in perfume form, the duality of the Kahn, a fierce warrior but at the same time a man of great wisdom and tenderness. The perfume behaves in a similar fashion, it's dirty and provocative, and it's in your face, but maintains a constant restraint, warmth, and gentle feel. It isn't as dirty and animalic as many have made it up to be, but of course, it depends on where you are in your fragrance journey. I find it incredibly sexy. Downright erotic.
A real legend, from a legendary house. The fact that Serge Lutens has kept this scent true to its original form and that they are still selling bottles when they could have discontinued or reformulated it in order to save money and move more, just shows why this house is still above most if not all niche houses out there.
To me, top 3 Musk perfumes ever, alongside EO 2 and Onthamara, those two using the natural stuff. This is just as good and evocative though. Hats off.
Quick reformulation tip/advice, THE CURRENT VERSION SMELLS IDENTICAL TO THE VINTAGE, please don't spend 500 USD on vintage bottles. I have a vintage bottle and tested the Gratte Ciel version side by side, blotter, skin, it smells identical. This one is my favorite Serge Lutens perfume ever and one of my favorite perfumes of all time, so trust me on this. Get yourself samples of all versions if you are skeptical, but of all Serge Lutens reformulations, MKK is probably the best preserved and close to the old vintage version. Don't feed the Fragcom trolls.
Back to the scent. To me, MKK showcases a very true-to-life synthetic Musk Accord. Sheldrake really did magic with this one. The musk is there but there's a lot more going on of course. There are many other animalic notes used here, civet, ambergris, castoreum, ambrette, and lots of cumin. So, as you can imagine, this is quite a dirty perfume. However, we are talking here about Sheldrake who has proved himself again and again, so he doesn't just throw in all the animalic notes hoping for the best. He balances out the dirty facets with very well-placed resins, that sweeten up the perfume, a hint of rose, a touch of honey. He depicts, in perfume form, the duality of the Kahn, a fierce warrior but at the same time a man of great wisdom and tenderness. The perfume behaves in a similar fashion, it's dirty and provocative, and it's in your face, but maintains a constant restraint, warmth, and gentle feel. It isn't as dirty and animalic as many have made it up to be, but of course, it depends on where you are in your fragrance journey. I find it incredibly sexy. Downright erotic.
A real legend, from a legendary house. The fact that Serge Lutens has kept this scent true to its original form and that they are still selling bottles when they could have discontinued or reformulated it in order to save money and move more, just shows why this house is still above most if not all niche houses out there.
To me, top 3 Musk perfumes ever, alongside EO 2 and Onthamara, those two using the natural stuff. This is just as good and evocative though. Hats off.
4 Comments
Razvanyke
A legend returns
Like everyone else, I got very curious about these two new limited releases so I have ordered them to see how the new Guerlains are.
I have tested both and I can say that I am impressed, last time I tested a new Delphine Jelk release I was not very impressed, but now I am.
This is a scent which has for sure an inspiration in the house of Guerlain and if you know that one, you will get the association right away after spraying it.
In my collection there are two similar scents with the Platine Privé: Imagination from LV and L´Homme Ideal Cologne .. but somehow I do not feel they are redundant to own all of them, they are all great in their own way I would say.
For a scent released literally a week ago, the performance is very decent and as a first batch, I do expect it to evolve a bit in the next weeks or months. I could still smell it on my wrist after 8 hours and on the clothes it has a light silage in the lobby.
For Guerlain, this must be a winning bet, because apart from Neroli Outrenoir there are not alternatives for a nice fresh smell, please correct me if I am wrong. The Guerlain Homme EDP is nice and smells like Mojito, but will not last as long as Platinum Privé.
Thank you for checking my video too.
I have tested both and I can say that I am impressed, last time I tested a new Delphine Jelk release I was not very impressed, but now I am.
This is a scent which has for sure an inspiration in the house of Guerlain and if you know that one, you will get the association right away after spraying it.
In my collection there are two similar scents with the Platine Privé: Imagination from LV and L´Homme Ideal Cologne .. but somehow I do not feel they are redundant to own all of them, they are all great in their own way I would say.
For a scent released literally a week ago, the performance is very decent and as a first batch, I do expect it to evolve a bit in the next weeks or months. I could still smell it on my wrist after 8 hours and on the clothes it has a light silage in the lobby.
For Guerlain, this must be a winning bet, because apart from Neroli Outrenoir there are not alternatives for a nice fresh smell, please correct me if I am wrong. The Guerlain Homme EDP is nice and smells like Mojito, but will not last as long as Platinum Privé.
Thank you for checking my video too.
7 Comments