Reviews of Let Me Play The Lion (2006)
by LesNez

Incense, sandalwood
This is a simple, minimalist scent. It has a dusty, dusky sandalwood which gets some notes from its usual neighbor (cedar) and other notes from a slightly sweet, aromatic incense. Essentially woody and dry, it is also somewhat delicate, sitting close to the skin. The sandalwood hints at creamy vanilla but never goes there. It also whispers a kind of salty tang but never develops that. If you are looking for a very subtle and restrained sandalwood, this would suit you. I was a bit disappointed, expecting something more dynamic and distinctive.

I was reminded of Gucci pour Homme immediately. I love Gucci pour Homme and a kinda like this. 'Kinda' in the reluctant sort of way that it's teetering on the edge of "must buy" or "wait this isn't so good". This stuff is dry like sarcasm and dusty like sawdust, yeah that's a fairly abstract description: sarcastic sawdust. Sensitive noses beware at it might extrapolate your allergies into an expansive sneezing fit. I find this to surprisingly long lasting and the fragrance on the card I put some on and threw in the trash keeps seeping out and I get whiffs of it.

Let me Play The Lion (LPTL - theres no way I am going to type that entire name again in this review) smells a lot like L'Artisan Fou D'Absinthe (FDA). I am guessing that the middle and basenotes are similar, with cedar replacing the absinthe heavy top of Fou D'Absinthe in LPTL.

Cedar is the first observable note, and is immediately followed by a not-so-roaring spicy sweet accord of spices and anise. Pine/Fir provide a tranquil frosty base to the spicy composition. Its not too hot, and its not too cold. It almost smells like a Moroccan spice market in winter (add some flacon loads of candied honey and sugar, and it would qualify as a Serge Lutens fragrance)

I think I prefer LPTL to FDA - while equally watery, it lacks the blackcurrant note which nearly ruined FDA for me. Its not intriguing enough for me to wear on a regular basis, and the name is too wordy and stupid for me to say it out loud in case I am complimented on it - for that reason alone, I might opt for FDA most of the times. Let This Be a Lesson for LesNez to Choose Less Doltish Names for its Fragrances (LTBLLCLDNF).

Warm, woodsy, soft, and lightly spicy, this is the most traditionally masculine of the LesNez scents. It also has that same white musk / cashmere musk note that never fails to annoy the crap out of me. All-in-all it's just too indistinct for me to give it a thumbs-up. It's not so bad to deserve a thumbs-down, but it's not something I would ever buy. Again, like L'Antimatière, this reminds me of Krizia's Time Uomo, not so much in notes as in overall effect. In some way, all of these smell like they could have been one of Ellena's earlier attempts at "watery." I just don't like the style.

This is my favorite of the three...
The dusty/dry/sweet combo of this scent reminds me of Dzing! I just wish this one had more strength and longevity..