Fragrance Reviews by bastiaanrutger

First time I smelled this was around the corner of the Amsterdam Red Light District, which was an exercise in romantic irony.

Just imagine the contrast between the pale, soft spoken, melancholy beauty of Apres L'ondee and the loud, seedy, stale-beer-and-unwashed-bum-smell of the world's number one whore's quarter.

For a moment, Apres L'ondee cleared the way of pain, despair, fake smiles and drunken nihilistic stupidity. Unlike anything I've smelled, it made me feel deeply sad and joyful at the same time.

I would say this smells like a wet dog.

Gucci pour Homme is a lazy scent, if you ask me. No projection to speak of and doesn't last at all. I've read that some find it understated. To me, Gucci pour Homme is just too safe and comfortable.

I'm not entirely sure about this one. Although I love the peppery green opening, it is too short lived -after an hour and a half, it is gone. And in between, it stays very close to the skin. I am a big fan of the transparency that seems to be Jean-Claude Ellena's trademark, but I can't stop wondering about the possibility of an 'Angeliques Concentree' -in the vein of Ellena's Bigarade C.-

For a more prominent green accord and to enjoy this a bit longer, spray on fabric rather than skin.

Eau sauvage, not as wild and all the better for it.

I cannot believe Chanel released something this mediocre. I guess you can't go wrong with this one, in a meet-the-parents kind of way. Boring.

Soft -almost creamy- floral, and at the same time earthy and green enough to prevent it from going into the powdery sweetness that is Dior Homme. May be a bit one-dimensional and stereotypically 'clean', but I happen to like this a lot nonetheless. Discreet projection, and lasts for hours.

I don't see how anyone could consider this offensive. You make friends easily wearing this and it does last a long time. Equally good for office wear and warm afternoons in the park.

True to its name, this is very much about rose. Nice sharp citrus edge on opening to contrast the powdery warmth of rose and vanilla. But as soon as the top notes fade, rose and vanilla pretty much are all that remain. Vetiver and leather should, in theory, curtail the soapy, almost heady sweetness and give a nice dry frame . Unfortunately they don't, so Rose d'Homme lingers on comfortably without any counterpoint whatsoever.

On opening, you immediately get the iris/leather accords contrasted with florals, but then all of a sudden Kelly pauses for an incredibly off-putting smell of rotting flowers, to eventually continue its course into something creamy/suedelike. I really want to like this, but Kelly Caleche somehow at points in its drydown seems to be at war with my body chemistry. Only after two hours or so, it finally settles into something which you could compare to Dior Homme without the cloying sweetness. I just don't think I have the patience to wait for it that long.

About the original formula:
Smells like a dusty woollen blanket drenched in cigarsmoke covering a drunken aristocrat. Too much, too much of many things (ie lavender, patchouli, sandalwood).

Eau d'Hermes is the olfactory equivalent of a guy -or girl, whatever tickles your fancy- touching you in all the right places. It's sensual, sweaty lovemaking, the kind of juice that almost symbiotically blends with the scent of your own skin as if you were destined to wear it.

Then again, Eau d'Hermes has a kind of take it or leave it quality -which definitely has to do with the BO hook -and I've always associated cumin with sweaty underwear somehow, so that makes sense. I think it is completely wearable though, cause it never boasts about its dirty -and very sincere- presence.