Perfume Reviews

Nightflight by Joop!

Smelled to me exactly like Chanel Platinum Égoïste, which I'm not really a fan of. Well made scent for sure though, lasts forever...good everything but the smell, for me.

Natural Vetiver by Odore Mio

This is indeed a "natural" take on vetiver. It's also a seemingly non-committal take on it. It's fresh, and the notes are there - other than the top notes of "citrus" - but it doesn't do much. It has poor lasting power, sure... but more important, it gives me nothing to write about. Really, a composition where ostensible faux-naif pretensions signify actual, genuine naivety. In a world of vetiver contenders, there is little to recommend here.

Soleil Neige by Tom Ford

A sweet jasmine/orange blossom scent that dries down into a lovely resinous vanilla.
That scent was crammed into a carrot seed pack - the paper of the envelope, the mustiness of the seeds, a hint of dirt.
That seed pack mustiness lasts throughout the wear.

The effect reminds me of the "used bookstore" scents created by some of the Etsy indies.

I've never been a fan of musty paper on my skin.
Soleil Neige doesn't change my mind - even if the white floral portions of the heart and resinous vanilla drydown are lovely.
If I find myself craving musty paper, I'll dive into my indie oil collection and save myself a few hundred bucks.

Steamed Rainbow by D.S. & Durga

First time I smelled this on paper my thought was "It smells liked corked wine," and sharing it with others experienced with corked wine, this has been confirmed many times. On my skin though while that note is there, it's much milder. Citrus and woody opening, dries down to airy vetiver and very dry flowers. It's not the smoothest fragrance, but a little texture is nice sometimes. I like the dryness of it without it sucking the moisture out of my nose. Unique scent.

Varanasi by Meo Fusciuni

When I sprayed this, I imagined SNL's Father Guido Sarducci saying "Vara nasi" ("very nasty")... For me, it is similar to Bogue MAAI, but where I love the opening of that perfume (even if I have trouble tolerating it subsequently), this one is just a massive challenge, on the order of Areej Le Doré scents. To be worn by total he-men, who can dazzle over the alley cat scent, and even then it might best be sprayed lightly...

Note de Yuzu by Heeley

I sampled this today and want to chime in. It does seem completely linear, and it does go all out grapefruit with a simple musk base to my nose. I find it pleasant and refreshing in the summer heat, at least for the first 8 hours. It turns out there is only so much grapefruit I can handle.

I can't get over how long it's lasting. I still smell like grapefruit after ten hours. For longevity alone, it has to get a thumbs-up.

Labdanum JB by Perfumology

Finally doing a proper sampling of Labdanum JB from the Perfumology Accords series, a 2022 release and fittingly labdanum-focused fragrance created by John Biebel, perfumer/owner of January Scent Project. It involves primarily labdanum itself, showcasing a great marriage of its balsamic and smoky qualities with slight pinches of beeswax and spices, a bit reminiscent of the resinous aspects of Ambre Loup by Rania J (off of memory) but still a bit different. It’s an excellent, rich resinous treat that fans of resinous fragrances will surely love.

Currently it’s out of stock and I’m not sure if it’s coming back, but its pricing, when in stock, was $65 for 30ml, very reasonable for a high-quality, rich fragrance. Certainly I’d recommend that anyone interested in resinous fragrances seek this one out.

8 out of 10

Allure Homme Sport Superleggera by Chanel

The Superleggera scent itself is not very different to the Allure Homme line. There are elements of the original Allure Homme EdT in this and plenty of the cashmeran-origin "fresh" accord of the Sport EdT flanker as well. At first spray it comes across as a slightly sweeter smelling combination of the two, perhaps leaning ever so slightly towards the Sport EdT. As it wears on, there doesn't appear to be that much of a difference: it doesn't dry down like the Sport however; instead it finishes at a half way point between Allure Homme and Allure Homme Sport EdT.

I see no justification to comparisons with the Eau Extreme flanker, which contains boat loads of soapy-musky tonka ad nauseum. Superleggera is a much cleaner take on the accord.

That said, it's hard to see how such an unimaginative flanker (albeit one that's a limited edition) can be justified both on the scent itself and at its current price point (£130 for 100ml, August 2024). To those who perhaps haven't discovered the Allure Homme line it might be worth it, but for the majority expecting a "new Chanel men's fragrance", it will be a disappointing release.

Worth pour Homme by Worth

The vintage version of Worth Pour Homme with the its stylized "W" insignia, is a barbershop delight, redolent of bracing lavender, fresh-cut rosemary, and oakmoss much like its similar forebear, Paco Rabanne Pour Homme (no, this was not launched in 1932, as Fragrantica claims, but rather 1980). Yet, make no mistake, this is not merely Worth's "also ran," as the dry down is to die for in all of its woolly muskiness.

I for one love variations on a theme, comparing and contrasting, because I am just that kind of nerd, and with Worth Pour Homme, and what also makes it different is a certain sharp, pungency to the aromatics and a certain sternness in its overall feel: this one feels less golden chains and unbuttoned rayon shirts and more Piaget wristwatches and ascots. That said, it's just as much a pleasure as the many others of its ilk.

Corpus Equus by Naomi Goodsir

A dry, isobutyl quinolene-touched leather, like a leather purse or couch. I don't get an animal, or anything living for that matter. It is rather synthetic but well done. Drydown is an aromachemical woody amber. I must be too used to artisanal/vintage perfumes (and been around too many gardens and animals) because to me this feels like a rather safe foray into the leather category.

Dia Woman by Amouage

Floral freshie. I am not much of a Jean Claude Ellena fan, but I was sold on the idea of an office-friendly God Woman...maybe in that Gold Woman is an extravagant homage to No.5 and Dia is an extravagant homage to the ubiquitous floral freshie.

I love the bold, ornate Amouages: Jubilation XXV and 25, Lyric Woman, Gold Woman, and even Fate Woman. Maybe the idea of a safe Amouage was asking for trouble.

Halston Z-14 by Halston

If I had a dime for every time I read "IFRA" in a fragrance review where one pines for those classic fragrances (most often male-marketed ones) that have since become "shells of their former selves," I would be Scrooge McDuck. IFRA is not the enemy, it is the EU and their draconian regulations. For something still in production after all these years, Z-14 seems a bit worse for the wear, but it may not even be materials restrictions that have hollowed it out, but purely economics. The current version is a rather brittle citrus-cinnamon number, with none of that deliciously chewy, leathery-sweet labdanum and the fleshier oakmoss accord.

Older formulations, until the 2010s, smell great, and there's surely been enough pontification online as to what versions are superior, what to buy, so on and so forth, and I just refuse to add to that dialogue. What I will say is this: these previous versions feel both burly and articulate, with a resinous evergreen cypress note propelled with spices and herbs, leading into stout woods and a luscious, sinewy chypre base. Relegated to the bottom shelves of drugstores and discount rack retailers in its current, feeble iteration, it was once a luxurious item, and it would behoove anyone who seeks to curate vintage masculine fragrances to seek out the vintages and enjoy.

Crystal Aura by Avon

one of my favorites - and one of the very best from Avon (discontinued, of course)!! A lovely summertime scent, not too sweet but still fruity and flowery. The base notes keep it from going over the edge making this one of the rare sweet scents that I love smelling on my skin.

Chypre Azural by Les Indémodables

Not sure why they names this Chypre Azural, not at all. There's nothing very chypre about this and it's definitely not an aquatic fragrance. It is a orange, a very orange and very fresh concoction.

It opens with a juicy Sicilian Tarocco orange which remarkably remains for much of the duration. It's accented with a cooling tarragon and a hint of rose. Not just any rose but Egyptian Centrifolia rose sbsolute grand Cru. They mustn't have used a lot though as the rose is barely there but can be found upon searching. Same with the ambergris tincture which lends a bit of a salty gravitas to the whole affair but otherwise isn't especially noticable. Support from the base comes from patchouli. It's not the foundation of a classical chypre but it serves the purpose I suppose. Ultimately, this seems like Eau d'Orange Verte on steroids and without the mossy, woody base. This would really shine with a moss component but the big brains of IFRA have taken that option off the table.

Still, it outlasts the Hermes by a good while but at several times the price. At $248/50ml for Chypre Azural i personally will opt for a vintage bottle of the Hermes and have money left over.

Ambra Aurea by Profumum

Rather linear, syrupy, vanilla-y, brown sugary, resinous. Rich and thick.
It opens a bit medicinal but that burns off and a almost smoky incensey smell takes over. Frankincense and myrrh are definitely present with ambergris. There's a very interesting mineral-like thing just below the surface that I like but the overall, long-lasting vibe is a slightly sweet, almost gourmand blanket, warm and probably cozy for those who like such things.
There is nothing citrusey anywhere nor floral, this is all about amber. Makes me think of an ancient Egyptian embalming fluid. Also of French Toast. Performance is outstanding and were I a bigger fan of ambers, this would definitely be in my collection.

English Forest by Odore Mio

Time for my annual holiday list of sampling and reviews. This year, another name best not directly translated: Odore Mio. The first thing I notice about this range is the off-putting naming regime. "English Forest" seems to be aiming at a fern / fougere / aromatic conceit, perhaps pine and coniferous-leaning, with hints of wild flower and other thematic accords. Perhaps with Pino Silvestre as a point of departure, but with some retrained, "English" notes.

In my experience, this overt evocation of the "forest" can easily be done badly, not to say cheaply. Astringent, cleaning-product notes can easily dominate. In this context, EF is really much better than I expected. There isn't really a silvan contingent of notes here; rather the name is dedicated to the floor-level florals that can still readily be found in what is left of the British woodland, with a decent contribution from the colognic aromatics that are more associated with cultivated, rather than wild, flora. The final stage has little to do with the forest in my understanding, but with sandalwood, musks, and iris taking their part, it's a familiar take on English perfumery (as well as pretty much every other western tradition).

So, not so much a photo-realistic re-creation of English forests - which really remain only in placenames - but after a bit of deconstruction, more of a take on showcasing some unconventional florals that are here put into the context of an otherwise fairly conventional structure. And, enough of the concept and on to the evaluation - it's done rather well. Cologne-style top notes arrive at a familiar dry-down via unusual, native florals. It takes a little while to see what is going on, but it pleases at every stage. Highly wearable, even in the Italian heat, or the English mug, where I am now.

De Viris by Jacques Bogart

I went off to college with a bottle of this, given to me as a graduation gift. I had never heard of Jacques Bogart and sadly neglected this for my much more used bottle of Polo. While I loved the smell of Polo, when wearing it I smelled like every other guy in the dorm/fraternity/dining hall. When I DID wear De Viris it was different and I always got compliments. Dry, bitter and green, this was not a cheery scent, nor was it overtly sensual. It was a contemplative walk in the forest, a round of golf, a roll in the hay (if you got lucky!) and very masculine. It strikes me as being a great scent for the office although my office years were still in the future at the time I was wearing this. I didn't always follow the crowd in those days (I wore Guerlain's Vetiver in high school) and wish now that I had leaned even further into fragrances like De Viris instead of the crowd pleasers like Polo and Z-14 (excellent as they are). I have since become a big fan of Bogart fragrances and would happy try this again if I ever run across it. I am not sure if there are any common notes but I occasionally get a De Virus flashback when wearing Devin which came out at about the same time.

De Viris by Jacques Bogart

I am charmed by just how cool, bitter, and aloof De Viris comes across, starting off with a citrus pith and zest—no juice, boldly underlined with petitgrain leaves and a gobbet of clary sage. There the sensation of white pepper and bay leaf as it settles, morphing into a dry and distant heart, suggesting flowers and foliage, silvery-green waxy camphor leaves, quite vegetal and herbal, rendered fuzzy and overcast, autumnal even. Over time, this stoic greenery is enveloped like a twilight fog by musks, cedar, and vetiver.

It smells like New England to me: pleasant yet reserved; strong-willed; honoring the earth and providence. I am reminded of the imagery of Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome, which is quite an unlikely conjuring to come from any fragrance. It's stark and naturalistic, and so delightfully peculiar, especially since this comes from the same quirky house that brought us One Man Show and Witness. It is truly unique and I am sort of obsessed with it.

Xeryus by Givenchy

Ahh, the 80s coniferous aromatics, all needles and twigs, embodying the sizzle of forest under the collar of a freshly shaven tycoon who in his spare time reads John Muir and dreams of mountaineering. Xeryus, with its handsome art deco monolith of a bottle, smooth and discreet much like the juice inside. Not quite as audacious as its brethren, its clean and compact, no monkey business, no feral nether-quarter funk, but a whole lot of evergreen needles, juniper, geranium, and moss.

While Xeryus certainly did not define a genre like its senior, Givenchy Gentleman, it rather *refined* a genre, more quiet power than a flaunt, elegant yet durable.

Society by Society Parfums

I have loved this floral chypre for many years - the vintage original from Burberry with it's heavenly 'suede' osmanthus. Thankfully I have no clue what the version from "Society Parfums" smells like . . . but from the 2 negative reviews on here, I doubt that I would like it.
This is not a perfume for young women, they don't usually appreciate oakmoss and the other charms of true chypres. Here are the notes of the Burberry version from 1991:
Top notes: Osmanthus, Tuberose, African Orange Flower, Hyacinth, Green Notes and Bergamot;
Middle notes: Gardenia, Ylang-Ylang, Orchid, Mimosa, Rose, Iris, Jasmine and Lily-of-the-Valley;
Base notes: Oak Moss, Incense, Vanilla, Musk, Myrrh, Amber, Patchouli and Virginia Cedar.

Baliflora by Laboratorio Olfattivo

A summer holiday marine floral, that is super soft and delicate. It's very pretty, very wearable but it is so soft. It performs better on paper than on my skin. Sadly, I already have a poorly performing fragrance in my wardrobe that is also a summer marine white floral number so I have no reason to purchase this one. It is nice, but just not mind blowing.

Prada L'Homme by Prada

I wore this on a recent trip, from a tester in a perfume shop. I liked it and felt like I had definitely picked a good one to sample. It was like the iris version of Dior Homme (2005/2011) but without the vanilla. I was thinking it could be a slight step up from Dior Homme during the opening stages, at least for someone who's not the biggest fan of vanilla. But into the base, Prada L'Homme seemed to become subdued when Dior Homme would have been getting to the best part, so I backed off the idea that it's a step up from Dior Homme, but I still liked it.

Defy by Calvin Klein

Smooth, fresh but also heavy without being overly sweet. I think that CK wanted to offer something in vein of YSL Y without actually copying YSL Y and I think they kind of succeeded in that. Will it gain popularity? I don't think so.

Dominant notes here are pepper and vetiver, making this fragrance very masculine. It is only slightly sweet and doesn't copy PR Invictus or Dior Sauvage in any way, which makes this fragrance even more interesting.

CK Defy EdP is dry, woody, almost smoky but never over the top in any of its own charecteristic. Rather under-rated fragrance that will probably never gain any serious popularity, but so much so better for those who recognise its value.

I highly approve of this work and idea.

Originality 5/10
Scent 8/10
Longevity 7/10
Projection 7/10
____________________________
overall impression 8/10

Sauvage Parfum by Christian Dior

That's the same original Sauvage with the effect of a burned wood and resin. The more I'm smelling this, the more I realise how Dior "stole" the Chanel Bleu de Chanel concept, added more chemicals (read steroids) and sold this as "something new" while it's actually not.

This is not necessarily a critique, but I find it to be the fact. Dior Sauvage Parfum is perfectly well made and of high quality. There are several type of people who wear any flanker from this line. 1.) I really like this one, that's why I wear it - the fewest type of people. 2.) Other people love this, girls love this, I'm most certainly getting laid if I wear this - overwhelmingly type of people who wear this. 3.) Dafuq would I wear something that half of the damn city/country wears, I don't even like this that much - relatively few of such people.

Dior Sauvage is, I think, a victim of its own popularity in a way. One of the top sellers in the market for almost 10 year, as the original was launched in 2015.

Wouldn't wear this even if you paid me. Half of the city and the country, smells like it. Teenage kid wears it, sleazy guys wear it, grandpas wear it too. Well I ain't wearin' it (spits spitefully on the ground).

Scent objectively 8/10, subjectively 6/10
Originality 4/10
Longevity 8/10
Projection 8/10
Overall objective impression 8/10
Overall subjective impression 4/10 (look dude, this or any cologne aren't gonna get you laid, sorry but that's the fact. Good luck though, I guess.)

Rating this neutral because of the quality and performance. If these were not up to the task, I'd firmly rate this "thumbs down".