Bal Musqué
by Nez à Nez

Recently tried a few samples of this because I am trying to find a few other perfumes or fragrances to wear other than my usual solo repertoire-smile. I was really looking forward to trying this fragrance because I imagined it might be a similar but more affordable alternative to my beloved Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur, my current favorite scent!

This fragrance is nice but not one I would own and wear on any regular basis! As others have stated, I liked the opening notes very much because the scent is predominantly musk (which I like a lot) with a nice layer of spice (cinnamon??). Based on reviews, I was expecting this fragrance to be overwhelmingly and forever musk-y and very strong at that...but it was none of that...at least not on me.

About 20 minutes after applying this fragrance, it turned into what I would consider a slightly floral, very muted, muddy, murky, subdued and rather powdery substance, losing nearly all of the initial pleasant musk & spicy opening notes. What started out promising quickly took a rather mediocre and unoriginal turn...at least on me it did. Much to my disappointment, this scent morphed into a real gourmand fragrance on me...after about an hour or so, I thought I smelled like mild vanilla extract :0(

Lasting power was not great...sillage was rather poor. As I am learning more about fragrances, I am recognizing that I like rather potent mixtures with strong opening notes, animalic scents...not floral scents, NOT POWDERY scents. I like spicy & smoky fragrances with complex notes that are predominantly musky, woody and spicy. I like the wood, spice and musk characteristics to persist and last as final notes, too (not fade away). A fragrance has to have great staying power for me to love it...unique & unforgettable sillage is a huge plus, too!

Bal Musque is a nice fragrance but it just didn't quite do it for me.

23rd April, 2010.

Holy Moly -- we have some serious musk action going on here and not just the oft used White Musk -- Bal is thick with them. With liqourice and black vanilla as steadiers, we are in a sensual heaven. Bal Musque is so gorgeous it hurts. A potent sex bomb -- be careful out there.

4th November, 2009.

Wow, wow, wow, I definitely hope your sample has turned off PigeonMurder or otherwise we certainly have very, very different noses.
I sampled this today and I am excited.
My first impression was, "boy, this is flowery". However it didnt seem overdone or even messy but rather like a gentle, light introduction into what was to become dirty.
The more the florals faded the more resemblances to musc ravageur i got (which might be due to my lacking experience if it comes to soft vanillic musks), the same spicy, gourmandic touch (cinnamon, vanilla, bergamot(?)).
I loved it from first sniff until right now that the musky base is howering around my hand and i keep taking whiffs.

Highly recommended (at least for trying)!
10/10

18th May, 2009.

What the hell is this??! Wonderfully delicious list of notes, but all I get very alcoholic opening followed by disordered smell of something which smells like a pointless mixture of withered flowers and sweet fruits.

I wonder if my sample has turned off. I`m afraid its not, though....

14th November, 2008.