Perfume Reviews by Akahina

Oud Minérale by Tom Ford

A stomach turning aquatic that won't quit. Aquatics are my least favorite smell, but I had hoped for a revelation with oud. Not so.

Tenacious. Unbearable. Discontinued for a reason. I scrubbed twice with soap. It survived. Drenched with 99% rubbing alcohol and brushed with a hand brush. It survived. Considering self amputation of my left arm.

You've been warned!

Les Nombres d'Or : Musc by Mona di Orio

Heliotrope and baby powder. Very feminine to my nose. Kinda pretty. Kinda forgetable. Pretty forgetable.

MAAI by Bogue Profumo

I got a sample of this about 8 years ago and have tested it again. This just stinks. And not in a good way. Dior Leather Oud is one of two scents I would consider signature scents while most think it's too dirty. I can't imagine wanting to smell like this. The best thing I can say is that Maai is what Kouros should have been.

Imeon by Siela

From the OLO website. Siela is a sub-brand of OLO.
This description from the OLO website really describes this scent well.

A "botanical poem of a fragrance grounded in terpenes extracted from just harvested Purple Hindu Kush, a classic cannabis strain." The concept and design were developed with the editorial and design team artists behind Broccoli Magazine. It is our celebration of the glorious and iconic aroma of one of our favorite flowers.
"IMEON is fresh and wild, with hints of spicy neroli and clean cedar that reinforce the multifaceted aroma of kush. The first whiff is pure spring, all green grass and new shoots breaking through hardened ground. Then, the greenness subsides, and woodsier, sensual notes arise, reminiscent of the seasons passing— a springtime seedling growing toward autumnal harvest."

Notes: Purple Hindu Kush terpenes, lemon, neroli, cannabis essential oil, blond tobacco, frankincense, hinoki, vetiver, tree moss

The initial blast is fresh, sticky, bud, as it grows on the bush, elevated by lemon and neroli. Soon, the kush terpines are joined by woods, the hinoki and vetiver. There is just a touch of incense. If there is a blond tobacco here, it simply does not hold up to the terpines. Longevity is good at 8+ hours for me.

Interestingly, after the terpines calm down a bit in the drydown, the scent reminds me of Terre d'Hermes parfum, sans iso-e super. Lemony terpines and neroli with vetiver. Like a slightly stoned Terre.

Definitely NOT suitable for work. This is the most realistic cannabis perfume I've tried. And given the natural ingredients, it's no wonder.

Cuoium by Orto Parisi

This is a tough leather fragrance that is hard to love. Initially, it blasts your nostrils with an overdose of Isobutyl Quinoline. It's very unpleasant and sour. Although there is no oud listed, the sour smell reminds me of the worst note found in some ouds, the sourness. The animalics in this are indistinct and smell artificial. Luckilly, there are some woods of some sort and incense, but not enough to override the Isobutyl Quinoline. Luckily, the deep drydown is a very pleasant leather scent. But for several hours, your olfactory senses are assaulted.

This is impressive as a piece of art, but art is subjective. Leather scents usually don't suggest leather to me, but this one does, but not in a good way, at least not for a few hours. Not all art is university loved. If this were Heironymus Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights," this would be the right panel (hell). I personally never want to smell like this but refrain from a negative conclusion because I appreciate art, and this is artful, just not wearable except maybe at Halloween.

I love (vintage) Dior Leather Oud with its skanky civet. This, not so much... Your mileage may vary.

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

I get how people smell an antiseptic cleaning vibe from this. It smells like an industrial nightmare. My vintage bottle is well preserved, but out of over 150 bottles in my collection, this one is the worst smelling. Vintage Leather Oud is challenging, but is my favorite scent. My tola of Hindi Oud is fecal on the opening but oh, so delicious. I love challenging and animalic scents. Kouros is as unbearable as Secretions Magnafique. Truly awful. Why people like this is beyond comprehension. I've had this on for three hours today. Excuse me while I get some bleach.

Black Phantom by Kilian

Sugary caramel, coffee and sweet chocolate with some sweet heliotrope taking it in a vanilla direction. If you want to smell like a breakfast donut this cloyingly sweet gourmond is for you. It certainly is not for me. Yuck.

Myths Man by Amouage

Landshark got it right. This flirts with old lady perfumes so much that I simply can not wear it. The drydown is ok but it is not worth the wait for me for just an ok drydown. I am huge Amouage fan but this one is a complete miss for me. In fact this one sort of made me sick to my stomach. I have a decant that I will continue to test, but I am thinking that I will not come around to liking Myths. 3/10 for me only because the sillage and longevity are on par with what I expect from Amouage.

Opus X by Amouage

This has been on my radar since I first heard of its release early in 2016, but samples have eluded me until 2 days ago. As luck would have it, I made a rare stop at The Perfume House and asked to sample just this one perfume, which had just come in. Since they could not find a tester they offered me one of the official samples in one of Amouage's little boxes. Looks like about 2-3ml to me.

There are not many reviews of Opus X out there and what follows are my thoughts. I will preface my thoughts by saying I love roses, have grown hundreds of old and new varieties. Perfumes however sometimes go in a feminine and powdery direction which I personally avoid. I have a few rose centric scents but not many.

Opus X starts with yes, a nice blast of rose but one I can't completely identify. It does not have any of that citrusy top note, but most of that sumptuous middle. This rose is round and full but not sharp if that makes any sense. What could have been a choking (and unattractive to my nose) powderiness is saved by an unusual greenness and a strong metalic quality. I sense that after the initial top notes fade, geranium becomes almost as big of a player as the rose. I can understand people equating the metalic note as "bloody", but to me bloody has a coppery smell and this seems more like iron rust. Into this add an interesting varnish accord and you have this scent's initial profile.

But after an hour or so there is a period where this does become an old violin, or something akin to that. I was reminded of an old varnished bookcase that held an ancient Encyclopedia Britannica that belonged to my Grandmother. Once in a while we would pull one of those old books out and there was a woody, musty smell and something about Opus leaves the impression of age.

As the scent dries down it becomes a nice amber (ambrarome I guess) with a barely noticeable tame oud note with hints of incense...and the aura of rose.

This is a very plesent scent, not feminine at all, nor would I call it masculine. It is an experience anyone could enjoy, but it is different. I don't think I would recommend this scent to a beginner but many experienced folks would at least appreciate the artistry behind this. I consider this to be a top notch release from Amouage and one I expect to add to my collection.

My initial impressions only. Your mileage may vary.

Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene

One of the worst chemical abortions ever made. So many great perfumes are discontinued and I wonder why this atrocity is still in production. Abysmal.

Artisan Black by John Varvatos

Smells nice enough when you apply it. But, 15 minutes later and pfffft! Gone. Too bad. I sort of like it for the first 5 minutes until it fades. This is a remarkable achievement. How can any scent fade so quickly?

Palo Santo by OLO

I have not reviewed a fragrance for some time, simply because my skills at identifying notes is terrible compared to the many expert reviewers around here. But this scent is obscure so here goes.

This "perfume" is based on coconut oil, not alcohol. And apparently made from natural ingredients, so some performance issues are apparent. The ingredients listed seem to be just what you get and little to nothing else. First off there is an odd yet familiar floral quality, which has to be the champa flower. Yes, familiar from the widely used nag-champa incense. And I do smell palo santo which is rarely used in perfumery for some odd reason. It smells wonderful so I have always wondered why such a scent has been overlooked. But the palo santo is joined by an unfamiliar woody scent which reminds me just a little bit of sandalwood or some conifer. I assume this has to be siam wood. And that is about it. This wears rather close to the skin and longevity is about 8 hours. Not much development as the scent just slowly disappears.

This seems to be more of an aromatheropy scent rather than a proper perfume. Very simple and approachable. A good scent but nothing to bee terribly excited about except for the fact that there are almost no palo santo scents to be found, but I found one.

I give this a neutral rating only because I have been trying to find a palo santo scent. This will do for now.

EDIT: 8 Hours is,a stretch. 4 hours and it gone.

Pomélo Paradis by Atelier Cologne

Love how this scent smells on the opening, very realistic and simply delicious! For about 15-30 minutes, then *poof*, it's gone. Too bad performance and longevity are so lacking in this one. I have to take a pass on buying.

Incense by Franck Boclet

Incense? Where? This is a clean musk and soapy scent and nothing more. Not quite a scrubber but why bother? If I wanted to smell like soap I would not rinse after a shower.

Patchouli Nosy Be Eau de Parfum by Perris Monte Carlo

This is a fascinating fragrance that goes through many changes. From the sharp begining with a dose of pepper supporting an unusual patchouli, which does not seem to have as much earthy or bitter quality as one might expect. Then comes a mid with a definate cocao note that almost, in combination with the pepper makes this lean slightly gourmond to my nose. Labdinum, vanilla, amber and touches of cocao and patchouli remain in the base. Great longevity.

L'Aigle de la Victoire by Rancé 1795

Man, this is a tough, spit on the street tough leather. A dirty vibe throughout. Birchtar, some woods and incense and just enough oud to make you notice. This is a dirty beauty, but not for the faint of heart. Most definitely masculine. If you like pretty scents, stay away. But if you like a lot of skank this is one to try. I can't improve on alfarom's review which is spot on.

07 Tanoke by Odin New York

Like the pyramid, bitter orange and ginger with a bit of pepper at the top and then a lot of frankensense and woods. At first sniff I knew I had to have this one. Definately a woody incense fragrance. Not timid but well behaved. Some complain about longevity but it lasts and lasts on me. This will become a staple in the fall. The best from Odin IMHO. FBW.

Bleu Marine by Pierre Cardin

I got a free sample of this and while going through my samples tonight I thought that since I was completely unfamiliar with this one I would give it a try. Sorry I did. Foetidus was right. A scrubber. Could not wait to get this mess off. Yuck. Citrus, basil, patchouli poorly done.

Lyric Man by Amouage

Compared to many other scents from the house of Amouage, I am disapointed. The rose is pleasent but not that strong or up front for me. Even the incense is fairly muted Somewhat powdery and honestly reminds me of soap. Not a complete miss but certainly not a favorite. Unisex for sure but perhaps more appropriate for a mature woman.

Zahd by Slumberhouse

Imagine tart cranberries dipped in unsweetend cocao powder and Mysore sandalwood while burning nag champa incense and drinking a glass of red wine. Unique, unisex, non-linear and with a changing character as the scent develops through its long life. One of the best scents by anyone in years IMHO and almost in a new category that could be called a gourmond attar.

Bullion by Byredo

Fruity, floral, leather, woody, musky, sweet, according to Fragrantica. What's not to like? I, for one, love scents with a plum note and this one is delicious. Add to it a bit of floral a touch of leather and a hint of sandalwood and musk and you have something reasonably unique. There is a hint of dirtyness here too but nothing to put anyone off. Not a powerhouse scent but lasting a good 6-8 hours and longer as a close skin scent. I get a bit of a waxy character which I really like. Some people have said this is challenging but I see it as both unique and very wearable and quite unisex. Nothing to be scared of here. Perhaps the best Byredo but sadly a limited release. I obsessed on getting this for quite a while. Very glad to have it in my rotation.

Norma Kamali Incense by Norma Kamali

best incense perfume periodMy shortest review ever. Straight up frankensense and myrrh. Lasts 24 hours plus. Great projection. Pretty linear but who cares with this beauty? Simultaneously dry, smoky and a touch sweet. One drop is all you need. If there is a holy grail, this may be it.Pros: long lasting and powerfulCons: almost impossible to find"

Poivre 23 by Le Labo

amazing take on "gourmond"Most Le Labo fragrances are ok but in general not all that astounding. This one parts the sea and can be polorizing at first sniff. The top note of pepper can be off putting if this is not an aroma you appreciate...but I love pepper. Both the smell and the taste. (I blacken my food much to the surprise of others around me.) But fear not. The jolt of pepper during he first half hour soon subsides and gives way to resins, incense and vanilla. Vanilla and pepper turns out to a delicious combination. Also present is a nice touch of guaiac wood, sandalwood and patchouli. Starts out decidedly masculine and softens as time passes to become softer and a bit more feminine but very wearable by anyone. An unique oriental with a shocking blast of wonderful pepper at the start. Longevity borders on incredible lasting well over 12 hours, almost 24 hours. Twice a year Le Labo offers their city exclusives at their retail locations. This is one of the very few times I have purchassed a small bottle. The $440 price for 100ml is stupidly rediculous! $290 for 50ml is even worse (per ml) but my bank account appreciates the extra $150. But even at this price this is a scent I needed in my collection. At least I have the bottle and can get refills later if I run out. The fact that I sprayed liberally in the store and got 3 nice sized samples before I left makes the high price a little easier to take. Not a blind buy! Sample first. If you visit or live in London make sure to sample. If not then get it while you can or wait 2 years...Pros: pepper lovers rejoice!Cons: stupidly expensive and exclusive to London almost all the time."

Opus VII by Amouage

Challenging and green
OK, I have worn this several times, including yesterday. This one is tough for me to figure out. I will say that every time I have worn this, I have gotten multiple comments.
Top Notes: Galbanum, Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Fenugreek
Heart Notes: Agarwood Smoke, Patchouli, Ambrox, Leather, Ambergris
Base Notes: Costus Root, Muscone, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Cypriol
I wish I knew what Galbanum, Costus Root, Muscone, and Cypriol smelled like! A couple of others are a guess, too. Those of you with trained noses may know better... This one does indeed start of quite green and dry at the same time, a bit shocking to be honest but in a good way.
My initial sniff of this astounded me and is what inspired me to buy a bottle. But this uncommon top moves on quickly within half an hour. Then it turns into a sweeter and spicy (maybe even slightly dirty) middle. I get an unusual, spicy, leathery feeling at this point, and people notice. There are lots of complements at this point. I get the feeling that this one projects well at this point but never in a cloying or overly strong mannor. It seems to be a light yet projecting scent if that makes any sense. Amazing. As the wearer, I get whiffs of the scent, but I don't feel like I am in a cloud of scent. "Airy" is the word I would use but certainly present. At the drydown stage, which takes quite a while, the base seems to be a bit more typical of Amouage. It seems to be somewhat incensey and woody with a slightly musky quality.
Like I said, there are quite a few notes in this I can not identify, but I don't really care. All I know is that this one is quickly becoming a favorite. Unusual, long lasting and perhaps a bit of a challenge at the top for a few minutes, but the challenge subsides quickly and what is left is a beautiful scent that does not over-power yet remains noticable for a very long time. Here I am 24 hours after I sprayed it, and yet I can still smell this as a skin scent. Amazing. Quality stuff. Perhaps I will eventually figure this one out.
Pros: unique
Cons: price"

The new bottle is super ugy.