A Blvd. Called Sunset
A Lab on Fire (2020)

This is the kind of niche scent that, had it been released fifteen or twenty years ago, would be a "designer" offering, not a luxury conceptual fragrance. But times change and here we are.

Created by Maurice Roucel, this feels like an extension of the lavender-vanilla run that he produced in the late 90s and 2000s. Here, the lavender is subbed out for petrol-style violet, with a bit of suede leather that recalls CH Men. It has a an herbal-fizzy component that I can't quite place, but it is key to the overall sunbaked atmosphere of the scent.

The ad copy is all about Los Angeles, and it feels appropriately carefree and fun-loving and artificial in a way that evokes that strange city, full of sunbaked concrete and gasoline fumes and unnaturally beautiful people.

I'm not sure how much I should credit this, but it makes me smile.

Okay, hated this. It starts out with nothing but that dreadful aroma chemical that I call Screamwood, because it smells like rubbing alcohol and screams up my nose causing pain. The screamwood note lasts all day, but many hours later, a worn soft leather manages to break through to be noticed. The soft leather has some supporting notes of tonka and vanilla, but the screamwood kills the entire journey. Horrible. To note, others wont' smell the rubbing alcohol note, so I'd say sample this one if it sounds appealing to you. I am beginning to realize that many people are anosmic to the screamwood aroma chemical. Well, geez, they must be because that note is in nearly every woody fragrance I've sampled in the last three years.