Basenotes - Reviews by Karenin

Slovakia

Showing 1 to 11 of 11.

Terre d'Hermès Parfum by Hermès

Right off the bat let me state that Terre d´Hermes Parfum is one of the most unique fragrances I´ve ever sniffed. Having fallen in love (truly, madly, deeply) with the original Eau de Toilette version, I could hardly wait for this year´s Christmas to come as this was the gift I knew I´d find under the Christmas tree.

In Terre Parfum, the vegetal and mineral facets of the fragrance are prominent and make a noticeable statement. I find its citrus accord less pronounced than in the Eau de Toilette. To my nose, the grapefruit note is virtually non-existent. However, what my inexperienced nose does identify successfully is the orange peel accord, which smells incredibly naturally. In fact, the other day, after peeling a few oranges, the smell lingering on my fingers was comparable to the one contained in Terre Parfum. The fragrance then moves on to its woody-spicy heart, dominated mostly by cedar and benzoin. It finishes off with an earthy note which is also accentuated in the Parfum version.

What astounds me about Terre d´Hermes Parfum is that despite its concentration, it´s by no means overwhelming, attention-stealing or headache-inducing. On the contrary, its sillage is rather moderate, yet its lifespan pretty impressive. Just when you think it´s vanished, sniff your wrist and you´ll find its earthy base is still alive and kicking. I´d recommend wearing Terre Parfum in the colder months of the year, but I suspect it can work well in the spring, too. I shall definitely put it to the test. As far as the potential fan base for Terre Parfum is concerned, I believe what´s true of the Eau de Toilette is doubly so of the Parfum version. There´s every likelihood it will mostly appeal to the 30+ crowd since it totally lacks the lightweight ozonic aquatic character so widespread in so many (or rather TOO many!) modern-day fragrances for (young) men these days.

My final verdict: Terre d´Hermes Parfum is a rare and beautiful jewel. I love it to bits! :-)

30th December, 2011.

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Terre d'Hermès by Hermès

Terre d´Hermes is a true revelation to me. Paradoxically, this wasn´t love at first sniff. A few years back I was toying with the idea of buying it for my dad, so I tested it on paper. Although it came across as an interesting fragrance, citrusy in the initial stage and a tad bit sweet, in the drydown, I found its strong cedar note rather off-putting.

I´ve recently revisited Terre to give it a second chance - and I´m pleased I have. This stuff is nothing short of exceptional, especially when tested directly on the skin. I´m a sucker for well-blended citrus notes in my frags, and Terre features a particularly delightful (over)ripe orange and grapefruit combo, which, to my surprise, has a pretty decent lasting power. Then a pepper accord becomes more obvious, followed by the cedar and benzoin.

All in all, Terre d´Hermes is a well-balanced, smooth, modern and surprisingly versatile scent for men. It´s no powerhouse as I find its sillage moderate, yet its longevity impressive. My guess is its fan club consists of predominantly 30+ folks or younger men intelligent beyond their years. Thank you, Mr Ellena!

28th October, 2011.

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Allure Homme Edition Blanche by Chanel

Chanel AHEB is a likeable scent. It starts off with a refreshing lemon note, which is joined by peppers and barely perceptible (at least to my nose) vanilla in the drydown. Perfect for spring/summer, but I can well imagine using this frag all year round. I would have bought it a long time ago were it not so overpriced.

4th July, 2010.

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Ungaro III by Ungaro

My first blind buy. A curious scent, I must admit. It´s floral, yet managing to stay on the masculine side. The rose is in the limelight in this one, which in itself is a stroke of genius as there aren´t that many masculine fragrances featuring such a well-blended rose note. I´m not sure if I love Ungaro III, but I most certainly like it and would recommend it, especially to individuals who appreciate perfumes whose primary aim is not to appeal to the masses. Ungaro III may not be everyone´s cup of tea.

4th July, 2010.

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YSL pour Homme Haute Concentration by Yves Saint Laurent

What an outstanding scent! My original intention was to buy the original version. When I discovered this version in the parcel, I first thought of returning it. But then I said to myself, well, what the heck, I´ll give it a try- it´s a Saint Laurent frag after all! I´ve got to admit I don´t regret my decision at all. I love the initial burst of lemon, which is by far the juiciest lemon note I´ve ever smelled in a fragrance. It literally awakens my senses. The woody notes uncover a deeper, darker aspect of this fragrance. In my lay opinion all the notes are perfectly blended. I don´t find YSL PH HC overpowering or headache-inducing. Like with other powerhouse frags, the secret of enjoying this treasure to the max lies in sensible application- less is normally just the right amount.

9th October, 2009.

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M7 Fresh by Yves Saint Laurent

A lighter version of M7. The grapefruit note is blended very well in this one. It´s a summer scent that definitely stands out from the crowds of other summer fragrances. My only objection is its longevity- doesn´t last longer than 2-3 hours on my skin.

24th August, 2009.

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M7 by Yves Saint Laurent

One of my favourite frags from the House of Saint Laurent. I like the way it develops on my skin. The head may put some people off, but the real beauty of this scent lies in its heart and especially in the base. I love the agarwood note and the musky/ambery drydown. The base is a tad sweet- but never too sweet or cloying. I love the supposedly controversial ad featuring the naked and hairy Samuel de Coubert- it captures the essence of M7 perfectly, in my opinion. Bravo, YSL!

24th August, 2009.

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Body Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

Great if you like your frag on the sweet side. I especially like the eucalyptus note in this one. Body Kouros is fresh, masculine and quite intense. And different from the rest of the crowd. Another winner from the House of Saint Laurent!

24th August, 2009.

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Rive Gauche pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

All that needed to be said about Rive Gauche PH has already been said by my fellow basenoters. Let me just add that I´m truly enchanted with this truly outstanding fragrance. It´ll never be worshipped by the masses, which in itself is a clear sign of its originality and exceptionality.

21st March, 2009.

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Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

Strong, rich, intense, original, recognisable. What else would you expect from YSL? This a fabulous signature fragrance with a personality, but certainly not for everybody. I highly recommend it, but strongly discourage potential enthusiasts from blind purchase. This is a wild beast! I love it.

22nd November, 2008.

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A*Men / Angel Men by Thierry Mugler

I first bought A*MEN in 2000 as I had fallen in love with the fragrance. I thought it was original and different compared to other same-smelling mainstream fragrances. And it was my first designer fragrance. I remained faithful to this one for about 3.5 years, and then decided to kiss it goodbye and move on to something else. I still have a little bit left and the othe other day, just for the heck of it, I sprayed a few drops on my neck before going to bed. I shouldn´t have because I had problems falling asleep, thinking "I used to love this one?!?". I don´t know, it just seemed overpowering, too ruthlessly present. I can understand why people either love it or hate it- but to me, this controversial reception is an essential property any well-made fragrance should possess. I probably won´t return to it, but it does bring back a lot of fragrant (and other) memories...

20th April, 2008.

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Showing 1 to 11 of 11.