Fragrance Reviews by L'aventurier

While many will complain that this is "rain water, a pretentious piece of crap or the emperor's new clothes," I can only say one thing about L'Antimatiere: You smell it or you don't.

When I first tried it, it was during hay fever season, and so I smelled next to nothing. Come the end of fall, I went for a jog and cleared my sinuses, then took another stab at L'Antimatiere. Lo and behold, it was super potent, with an overload of white musk, the *slightest, almost unnoticeable touch of something salty and animalic (I'm guessing this is the ambergris) and a touch of vetiver in the top notes. It's no surprise that L'Antimatiere is hard to smell, as the molecules must be enormous, granted how musky it is (musk molecules tend to be big). You really need to have your sinuses clear if you want to smell it in all its glory. Otherwise, L'Antimatiere tends to pop in and out of consciousness, sometimes only becoming noticeable when you're not paying attention. Not only is it hard to smell unless you're allergy-free, but olfactory habituation tends to occur remarkably fast with L'Antimatiere as well.

I definitely do not find it light, and I can also vouch for 48+ hour longevity. I remember taking a shower two days later and suddenly being overcome with a cloud of white musk. Somehow it manages to pop out again when your body heats up.

I can't say I didn't enjoy L'Antimatiere, but for someone who doesn't like white musk, it just didn't cut it for me. I do however think it's a great piece of art, and definitely smells like the olfactory equivalent of invisible ink. It also layers remarkably well with Mitsouko (as Isabelle Doyen has been known to do herself), however Mitsouko EdP is already perfect in my mind, and doesn't require any tampering, however tempting it may be.

8.25/10

I've never worn Ultraviolet myself, but a good friend of mine has been wearing it for years. It's a very strange fragrance, and it's unique in the best way. It's such a unique fragrance that I'm not even sure what the notes are - the best I can describe it is "sweet and musky, with a salty ambergris drydown." While the drydown is ambergris heavy, it doesn't smell like the drydown of a modern Creed fragrance. Rather, the ambergris is salty and slightly bitter, with a powdery facet to it and very, very diffusive. Ultraviolet has this amazing quality where it just surrounds the wearer, creating an aura of sweet musk without overpowering. I agree with the people who say it's very synthetic, but I can't say that's a bad thing. It might not smell natural, but I've never found it to be cloying, cheap or annoying.

While I can't really describe the way it smells, I can say that I love it, as many others do too.

8.75/10

A fresh fragrance that opens with notes of non-citrusy grapefruit, violets and cardamom. As it dries down, a barbershop heart of powdery lavender emerges (similar to Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier), supported by ginger and cedar over some clean vanilla-musk. Deep into the drydown is a Jicky-like leather (most likely castoreum and a touch of civet) that almost goes under the radar. The best way I can describe Invasion Barbare is that it's a fresh-oriental lavender fougere with a musky leather base.

Although this fragrance is anything but barbaric, I imagine the name is a double entendre, referencing both its clean barbershop (ie. "barbare" shop) lavender and animalic barbarian base of leather. Over all, it's a classy smell that emits positive vibes and makes me feel like an alpha male (cool, calm, collected and confident). If I hadn't found this in my quest for my holy grail, I might have lost hope somewhere along the way. This is one of the few fragrances out there that is good enough to be a Guerlain, and modern enough to not smell like grandpa.

A modern masterpiece.

10/10

A sweet rose fragrance with facets of strawberry over green and chewy patchouli and musk. Reminds me a lot of the Juliette Has a Gun fragrance line, however Lumiere Noire pour Femme is done with a lighter hand and less drama. Not quite as magnetic as Lumiere Noire pour Homme, yet this is much darker than the its male counterpart and much more mysterious. It might not be a groundbreaking fragrance, but it pulls all the right moves. Lumiere Noire pour Femme is a fragrance for a mysterious femme fatale, but its bright and fruity notes like strawberry result in it being pretty and accessible at the same time. True to its name, Lumiere Noire is black light - dark yet luminous.

While it tilts more to the feminine side, I see this fragrance as unisex and accessible by males, granted one wants to smell slightly femme in a fashionable way.

9.25/10

APOM pour Femme is one of the only fragrances out there that mirrors its male equivalent perfectly, as it is literally a female version of APOM pour Homme. A beautiful mix of middle eastern flavours along the lines of couscous, smooth spices, orange blossom water, ylang ylang and iris over cedarwood. While the male equivalent is heavier, with a touch of amber in the base (and no ylang ylang or iris), APOM pour femme is lightweight and femine, with a heavy hand of ylang ylang (and a bit of iris) added to the mix instead of amber. Both APOM fragrances are unisex in my opinion, but each one is fittingly suited to the gender in its name.

A comfy and foody (but not gourmand) fragrance that reminds me of elegant dinners in a fancy Moroccan or Armenian restaurant.

9/10

Weeeeyyyooo this is refreshing! The opening is a beautiful, natural blast of eucalyptus and rosemary, while the heart is a powdery yet not-too-thick lavender. Deep in the basenotes is crisp and woody cypress. Like a dip into ice cold water at the top of a coniferous mountain. I haven't tried this in the summer heat, but I can see the lavender *perhaps becoming a little too powdery on days with high temperature and humidity. I'll update my review when the summer comes along.

8.75/10

Very interesting indeed! I have to admit, that while the actual smell isn't earth shattering, I've somehow never smelled anything like it. The opening is a strange citrus that somehow feels aquatic - not in the calone sense, but like an actual glass of water. Soon Mirto di Panarea starts to showcase it's blackberry leaves (picture the smell of black currants + green leaves) and some crisp (not flowery at all) florals. The base is a little woody and a little musky.

While I'm impressed by the uniqueness of MdP, I'm somehow not smitten. In closing, I agree with the consensus here that MdP is better suited for women, but easily unisex and a breeze to pull off.

8.5/10

Very citrusy opening followed by a creamy fig and natural, woody cedar. Although Fico di Amalfi isn't all I thought it was cracked up to be, it's fresh, clean and comfortable. My only gripe is that the fig gets to be a bit hand-soapish, but over all I can't complain. Highly recommended to all fig lovers. I like it equally as much as Philosykos, yet I prefer to wear Fico di Amalfi over the Diptyque.

8.5/10

Beautiful citrus-orange opening that dries down into sweet orange life savers. It never goes into the candy zone, and the other herbal and musk notes save it from being too sweet, but I'm still not sold on it. While the opening is promising, I'm just a little disappointed by the dry-down. Nice, but not one of my favorites from the line.

Longevity is short, but sillage is good while it lasts.

7.75/10

Great stuff! The only thing that smells synthetic in this is the white musk, which is actually quite enjoyable and not annoying – overall, StH comes off as very high quality. It’s also very smooth, and has a slight gourmand aspect to it, even though I wouldn’t classify it as a gourmand.

On my skin the patchouli is actually very faint (in comparison to some others’ reviews). While the patchouli is just a background note, sugar, rum, woods and white musk take center stage in a perfect symphony of notes. Real sexy, sensual and natural smelling. Might not be worth the money, but if you can deal with the hole this creates in your wallet, go for it. Truly a favorite of mine.

8.5/10

Edit: The other day I pulled out my sample of Straight to Heaven, and for whatever reason the synthetic cedar note in Straight to Heaven was ruining the whole fragrance for me. My nose tells me this is the aromachemical Iso E Super, which I happen to have an allergic aversion to. Thus, since I can't stand that synthetic cedar note, I have to give this a neutral. While Iso E Super is a somewhat necessary note in Jubilation XXV by Amouage (it gives the incense a dusty texture), it feels misplaced in Straight to Heaven. Otherwise, it's a great fragrance that I know is enjoyed by many.

A sweet blend of rose, vanillic amber with powdery overtones and skanky leather basenotes. Even though there's no patchouli listed in the pyramid, the skank in Citizen Queen makes me think of patchouli (I'm pretty sure I don't smell any though). Definitely pretty far on the feminine side of the spectrum, but I can see how you could pull this off if you're a stylish man (the leather gives it a dark and masculine touch). Dimitri is spot-on in his review, and I agree that Citizen Queen employs a great mix of classic (ie. old school) and modern notes. I really like this scent, but it's pretty loud and a bit too dramatic for me. I would, however, absolutely love smelling it on someone else.

8.25/10

Tabacco, black tea and vanilla. That's about it.

While I loved it at first sniff, Tabacco Vanille now makes me yawn of boredom due to it's linear (and lack of) evolution. I also hate the synthetic black tea note in it - I find myself getting annoyed of smelling the exact same thing for hours on end - like a song that was good at first, but once you hear it on the radio for the 5th time in an hour you're fed up of it. Not much else to say here, but that TV is also overpriced and smells a bit like a candle. Sorry guys, I'm just not feeling this one.

I much prefer Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille - now that's a fragrance with quality, evolution and great blending. Even though there's no tabacco in SDV, it still reminds me of vanilla pipe tabacco and gets top honors for being my favorite pipe-tobacco-style fragrance. SDV is less sweet than TV and it's not even close to being as cloying or annoying as Tobacco Vanille.

7/10

A horrible, nausea-inducing overdose of synthetic cedar (Iso E Super), violet leaf and sweet, candied violets. I've read somewhere that Bois de Violette has a 65% concentration of Iso E Super... No surprise here. If you don't like Iso E Super, or the usual suspects that also have an overdose of Iso E Super (like Terre d'Hermes, Kyoto or Feminite des Bois), avoid this at all costs.

I usually agree with the perfume critic Luca Turin on his "5 star" choices, but this one is not to my taste. Perhaps it fits the current trends in perfumery, but I don't believe Bois de Violette will stand the test of time (or future IFRA regulations for that matter).

3/10

A beautiful and simultaneously ugly (ie. jolie-laide) fruity chypre in the mold of Mitsouko, but more complex. Very reminiscent of the vintage Guerlains and a worthy homage to Mitsouko.

I haven't given this a proper wearing yet, but will edit my review once I have done so.

9/10

Overall, Eau du Matin smells mostly like lime and citrus oils accompanied by natural cedar essential oil. At first I thought that Eau du Matin kind of smelled like a boring version of Mugler Cologne, but with deeper inspection, they're actually quite different. Eau du Matin might smell less interesting than Mugler Cologne, but that's because it's not loaded with synthetic ingredients (a strange anomaly for a fragrance from Jean Paul Gaultier).

While at first I wasn't blown away by Eau du Matin, I've grown to love it. One of its major selling points for me is the cedar note, which, to my surprise is actually natural cedar and not the cheaper alternative, Iso E Super (a synthetic aromachemical reminiscent of cedar).

While sillage and longevity are the pits, that's the price one pays for quality ingredients. At least it's decently priced.

8.75/10

Regardless of the note pyramid, when I put Homage on my skin, it turns into citrus, mangoes and roses over an ethereal and clean (white) musk. I get barely any frankincense - I seriously get *just enough to keep the whole thing grounded. I'm really surprised to read others reviews here mentioning oud too, as I'm not getting any of it upfront either. The incense and woods here are very muted and very distant to my nose for some reason. Perhaps it's the blending.

Either way, as different as my experience is from others, I still rank this as one of the most beautiful fragrances I've ever smelled. Homage easily fits into my list of favorites. Homage is quite exotic smelling, to the point that I used to think I just couldn't find the right occasion to wear it. I figured it was just too majestic, too mysterious and too beautiful. Well, so much for that. I now realize that you can wear this any time, as long as you're prepared to match it with a confident attitude. In other words, you wouldn't want to drive around in a Bentley while looking all nervous and self conscious now would you?

Anyway, as it stands, I do love Homage very much. But there are faults even in the most beautiful flowers. For example, the opening of Homage is quite sharp, and the base of white musk is a little generic. And so, I can't see myself purchasing a bottle at full retail price any time soon. 350$ is just too much for a bottle of perfume that isn't perfect in every way. I do, however, like Homage enough to have purchased a decant for those days when I really want to shine.

9.25/10

Note: There are some Middle Eastern attars out there that are similar to Homage and cost only a small fraction of what they are asking for Homage. While they may be hard to find here in North America, I've tried a few that are almost as good as Homage, if not on par. Sadly, the names of them escape me. Perhaps that's a reason to purchase Homage - it'll save you hassle of trying everything else out there.

Light, slightly rubbery, slightly indolic, slightly skanky and somehow slightly clean. While the fragrance C16 is named after a certain musk molecule with 16 carbon atom bonds, there's no doubt in my mind that this is in fact a musk cocktail, and not simply the musk molecule "C16." To my surprise and delight, the fragrance progresses from one musk to another, starting with a bit of skank similar to the musk in Kiehl's Original Musk and eventually drying down to a clean white musk similar to Les Nez's L'Antimatiere. While C16 is a wonderful achievement, the actual smell of it somehow never "wowed" me. I think my expectations may have been too high to begin with, but I just couldn't get over the feeling of "so what."

With so much hype and such a nice marketing spiel by Colette, I was kind of disappointed that the fragrance itself was just "nice." So I began to wonder if maybe I was missing something. After all, only a certain percentage of the population can smell certain musks in all their glory. So I thought back to my experience with the king of musks, Musc Koublai Kahn... Ah yes, it smelled to me like unwashed genitals. When I consider the fact that some people liken MKK to soapy flowers, there's no way I have any problems smelling musk.

So now that we have that behind us, you ask: what does someone with no musk anosmia think about C16? Well, it's certainly a work of art and very enjoyable. Now would I pay 250$ for a bottle? Probably not.

8/10

I'm not a big fan of leather fragrances, and Reve en Cuir is no exception to the rule. However it is an amazing fragrance for what it is. Reve en Cuir doesn't have that synthetic factory smell of a new leather jacket - it smells like real leather - slightly animalic leather with hints of vanilla sweetness. It seriously smells like they took an old and withered, perhaps over-worn and sweat-drenched leather belt, smeared a touch of vanilla on it, and then baked the whole thing in an oven.
There's a beautiful balance between the extremes of being slightly off-putting and comforting. In the same vein, Reve en Cuir is straddling perfectly between smelling like an old-school leather fragrance (ie. Bel Ami) and something more modern.

Although I love almost all of Francis Kurkdjian's work and I admire Reve en Cuir's ingredients and construction, it's just not for me. Maybe it's just too realistic. While I can't see myself wearing Reve en Cuir, I also can't deny the quality and blending here. I'm sure that many leather lovers will love it, and so I'll give it an unbiased rating.

9.5/10

Natural-smelling and dusty spices? Check.
Oud? Check.
High quality dried fruits, dates and plum? Check.
Super expensive silver frankincense? Check.
Ambery, fizzy, synthetic cedar accord? Check. Wait... WHAT?

I can hear Amouage's creative director and Duchaufour discussing it now: "Ok, so refresh me on why we're putting a synthetic cedar accord (ie. the aromachemical Iso E Super) in here? Ohhhh right, 'cause otherwise this just would have been too good!"

Well, alright, it's not that big of a deal. As others might agree, the Iso E Super does give the fragrance a dusty feel, while highlighting the incense. There's seriously no other fragrance out there with this level of complexity, high quality of ingredients and unique texture. The problem is that I just can't stand Iso E Super in any fragrance. In the end, the rest of the ingredients definitely make up for the synthetic cedar accord - it's just that they shouldn't have to.

8.5/10 (Could have been a 10/10 without the Iso E Super)

A translucent and fluid amber, heavy on ambergris with smoke, spices and a juicy apple note that almost goes under the radar. No powder or heavy amber here - just smokey yet transparent amber. A little bit generic in style, but a great fragrance overall; if you don't expect an amber fragrance, you'll appreciate it more. The ingredients are rather synthetic for such an expensive fragrance, but Pierre Bourdon has succeeded in combining them in a way that gives Ambre Topkapi the feel of an aged scotch whiskey. A fragrance for a cultured and experienced man who has seen it all.

8.25/10

L'Eau de Tarocco is a beautiful, natural and refreshing citrus scent, but the musk in the base is too synthetic, clashing with the natural vibe. In essence, it feels like two different fragrances: a natural one over a synthetic one. I like musk of all kinds, but the musk cocktail here rubs me the wrong way. Whatever the musk in the base is, it's more or less the same musk cocktail used in Geranium pour Homme. Not for me, this one.

6.5/10

I genuinely like the smell of this - it's got this dusty, orange and frankincense thing going on. But like others have mentioned, this just doesn't smell healthy to me. I don't want to smell like Messe de Minuit, nor I do feel good when I wear it. On the other hand, Etro's other fragrance, Shaalnur, is uplifting and enjoyable.

6.5/10

P.S. If you like the idea of orange and frankincense, I whole heartily recommend Holy Water by Profumo.it (AbdesSalaam Attar Profumo), which smells a whole lot like Messe de Minuit, but a whole lot better. Now that's an uplifting, crisp and consciousness altering fragrance.

To my nose, this is the best of the Ineke line, and still, not even that great. I found it be pretty sharp and synthetic, just like the rest of the fragrances from this house. A shame, since I love the marketing and bottles. Even the customer service is great - I just don't like the fragrances.

7/10

Yep, gasoline and paint thinner, but in the worst way (I actually like the smell of gasoline). I think I'll pass on this one.

4/10

A very, very light, minimalist, ozonic, wood and incense fragrance with light musk. Smells like a mix between Kyoto by Comme des Garcons and Tokyo by Kenzo. Pretty fitting if you ask me, considering Gaiac 10 is only available in Japan.

I can't help but agree that this fragrance fits the minimalist Japanese aesthetic very well (barely anyone wears strong perfume in Japan, if any at all). The problem here isn't that the fragrance is too minimalist or light - it's that it's just downright boring and cliched. There's absolutely no character to it, and the composition feels surprisingly synthetic for something with natural Gaiac oil.

I'm glad I didn't buy this blind or bust my balls trying to find a bottle. Regardless of its exclusivity or price, I still don't like it.

6/10

To my nose, this scent should primarily be used as a laundry detergent and linen spray, however it also works remarkably well as an EdT. Lemon, lily of the valley, ylang ylang (?) and a touch of iris over very light woods and musk. Quite simply the most natural-smelling laundry detergent in existence. Clean, crisp and breezy.

9/10

Fresh oranges and lemon over an airy lavender and orange flower, supported by a powdery musk reminiscent of bed sheets. The smell of a loved one who wakes up after an afternoon nap. Soft and soothing, yet refreshing.

9.5/10

I liken Cologne pour le Soir to the smell of slightly honeyed skin on someone who has been burning frankincense and drinking red wine. Dark and gothic, yet also comforting and stimulating. My favorite of the line so far.

10/10

Although the listed notes are orange blossom, cedarwood and amber, the overall experience can be described as the smell of a middle eastern kitchen: Basmati rice cooking on the stove, smooth spices and lentils simmering nearby and orange blossom water. The whole thing is accompanied by cedar and musk in the base. Comforting and laid back.

9.25/10

An airy rose with touches of cinnamon and a slightly tart/sour green note that makes me think of rose stems. The base is a soft and clean musk that is very similar to Narciso Rodriguez for Her. Utterly magnetic and intriguing.

9.5/10

This doesn't smell like the sea per se, but more like an old spice-drenched and mossy bucket of water and sea weed from the sea. As Hirch put it, this is life-soup. I don't particularly ever want to wear it, but I love to sniff the vial, as it transports me to a mossy dock of decaying planks of wood, sea weed, spices and other organic matter from the sea. Very unique and quite frankly almost off-putting and ugly, but it still manages to come off smooth due to Profumo's blending skills. Supposedly the newer batches of Sea Wood no longer have ambergris in them, but I doubt it will make much of a difference as this stuff already feels so alive.

7.5/10

I'll join the gang on this one just we can all emphasize how this isn't even worth trying... Chez Bond is such a close rip-off of Green Irish Tweed that it might as well be GIT repackaged in a Bond No. 9 bottle and sold for a higher price! At least when Sean John/Puff Daddy plagiarized Creed's Millesime Imperial in his release of "Unforgivable," he sold it for a small fraction of Creed's retail price. Shame on you Bond No. 9! Bad house, bad house!

Yes, it smells great, but that's because it smells like GIT!

0/10

I would simply describe this as extremely sexy grape powder with a hint of vanilla coke. Magnetism might sound weird or not too good according to my description, but this really is great stuff. While it smells pretty synthetic, it doesn't necessarily smell cheap. Like Le Male and Narciso Rodriguez PH, this is a great example of what can be achieved with modern synthetics. I've never smelled anything like this and it somehow it never comes off as sharp or chemically - just grape powder candy and vanilla coke!

It’s also noteworthy to mention that Magnetism would easily pass as a unisex fragrance. Although it doesn’t necessarily feel feminine, I can easily imagine a woman wearing this (and to be honest I’m pretty sure I have smelled this or something like it on a few women).

Overall, I would consider Magnetism to be one of the sexiest, most playful fragrances I’ve ever smelled. The only downside is the synthetic feel (which is usually the case anyway with "unique" and/or "sexy" fragrances) but the use of synthetics here is worth it. If you’re looking for something manly or mature, steer clear. If you want something young, sensual and unique, give this a shot. The best age range would be something in the teens and early twenties.

9.25/10

A muted rose fragrance that feels very clean, in the same kind of clean style as Gendarme. Overall, Lyric Man is like a soapy, very soft rose supported by very light spices and frankincense. Very fresh, clean and ethereal, while still maintaining a bit of musky sweetness.There's no way this could ever offend anyone, and that's a great feat for a rose fragrance. It's surprisingly unisex and even has a very fresh note that you could describe as something akin to cucumber-musk.

Everything here is impeccably balanced and the quality is very high - there's not a hint of anything that smells "obviously" synthetic or unpleasant. My only peeve is that it's slightly boring and lacks a bit of "kick" or "life," if you will. I'm very impressed with Amouage's releases these days and this is another one to add to the list of good ones.

8.75/10

I love how the review below by thecheekyscamp mentions that Cologne Blanche brings to mind dandies and ruffles. I'll go one step further and say that if Bret from Flight of the Conchords had to wear a fragrance along with his ruffled dandy outfit in the "Sugarlumps" music clip from season 2, this would be it. Not to mention this smells like "sugarlumps" of almonds, balanced out by herbal and piney rosemary, neroli, talcum powder and a hint of vanilla.

Although Cologne Blanche isn't a breath-taker, it's the fragrance I wear when I don't feel like wearing any fragrance. It's uber smooth, low key and comforting, all the while still smelling modern and sexy without feeling old, stuffy or powdery in a classical sense. I also can't help agreeing with thecheekyscamp that CB also reminds me of my childhood - it's enjoyably reminiscent of being 5 years old again, coming fresh out of the bath. CB really is the anti-thesis to Eau Noire: while Eau Noire is dark, woody and brooding, CB is light, fresh and innocent.

As for sillage, CB doesn't project very far or loudly, but longevity is very good, lasting on clothes until the next day. Exactly what I like from a "cologne" (as opposed to an EdT or EdP).

Just another fragrant masterpiece by Francis Kurkdjian.

9.25/10

Cedar cabin, maple syrup (in reality this is immortelle flower), spices, lots of lavender, coffee and vanilla. Dark, mysterious, sensual and spicy, this is my fall and winter holy grail. Longevity is perfect, verging on 24 hours, with sillage that is just right. Never becomes too sweet, too woody or too gourmand. I whole heartily agree that this is pretty much bottled perfection. Quite simply Francis Kurkdjian's finest creation that I have smelled.

For those of you who enjoy Eau Noire, get a bottle of it while you can, as it's now discontinued and becoming harder and harder to find. I actually had to ask my local Dior boutique to order it from another province, as there were no 125 ml bottles left in Quebec.

9.75/10

Edit: I've been wearing this non-stop for a few months now and I have no doubt in my mind that this is the best fragrance I have ever worn. It's a friggin' masterpiece on my skin - perfect in every way. I realize this smells like curry to some people but that's cool - it just means more Eau Noire for me!

10/10

At first it simply smells like the best vetiver essential oil in the world. Then you start to notice the other facets, such as ozone, pepper, a bit of citrus and a musky base. It's wonderfully simple and complex at the same time. Although VE is a little linear, it does develop nicely throughout the day, only it's hard to notice because it always retains the same character throughout. To me this is how a healthy man should smell - like nature but even better (due to a flawless choice and blending of synthetic ingredients with natural vetiver essential oil). If you've ever walked through a mossy forest in the summer, you'll recognize the same vibe in this only more refined and wearable than the smell of a forest.

Sexy, clean, green - I agree with Anthony that VE is part of my top 5 fragrances of all time.

Edit: I overdosed on this the other day and I got this crazy lighter fluid thing everyone else has been talking about. I still love VE, as I actually like the smell of lighter fluid, petroleum (and all those other flammable liquids) but I have to admit that VE loses points because of it, and is therefore no longer one my absolute faves.

9.25/10

Creamy lemon over a thick and clean musk that can only be described as a green version of Bulgari pour Homme. I was actually surprised to find out this was created by Alberto Morillas and not Jacques Cavallier (the creator of Bulgari PH). Overall, Vetiver Babylone smells somewhat the way new clothes at the Gap smell, with a little bit of new car smell too, all wrapped up into a creamy, lemony fragrance with a huge dollop of clean musks and the tiniest dash of vetiver (it's barely even noticeable). The best parts are the fresh lemon opening and the musky green heart, while the drydown is a tad too sharp and synthetic while still maintaining it's creamy texture.

I can't help but agree with those who say this scent is underrated, but it's still not a masterpiece in my books. Vetiver Babylone just smells a little too generic and typical for something with a 125$ price tag. Either way, I do like it very, very much, I just won't be purchasing a bottle.

8.75/10

A perfume will rarely smell how I imagined it smells in my mind, and this is no exception. Those expecting a fragrance that is solely vanilla-dominant may be disappointed, as SDV opens with a strong bitter/sour red berry/cherry (it's actually pink peppercorn) note, a huge blast of high quality, natural-smelling cedar and a touch of rose and ylang ylang. While I was initially pissed off that the vanilla only emerges in the drydown (along with benzoin), I now appreciate this beauty for what it is. If it was vanilla and only vanilla all the way through, I could see myself getting annoyed. Instead, SDV evolves beautifully throughout the day - it starts off tart and stimulating, then shifts gradually towards a woody heart. Finally, a few hours in, you're left with the thick and boozy vanilla you've been waiting for.

Great stuff overall, and even though the bitter berry notes threw me off a bit at first (I believe the berry note can even be interpreted as pipe tabacco by some), I've grown to love every stage and note of SDV. It might not be the perfect vanilla fragrance in the classical, simplistic sense, but it's a fantastic interpretation.

As a side note, while Indult's Tihota (another ridiculously expensive vanilla fragrance) might be on par with SDV in terms of being one of my favorite vanilla-based scents, I might mention that SDV is not only the one that's somewhat worth its painfully high price, but it's also more interesting.

9.25/10

This is a weird one - not because of the way it smells in general, but because it smells significantly different depending on the distance from which you smell it. For example, Tihota is a beautiful, clean and airy vanilla from afar (ie. if you get a whiff of its sillage), but it's a little woody and a little bit bitter if you smell it from up close (either on your skin or a sampling strip).

Other than that, the fragrance is simply, as the description says, vanilla and musk - nothing revolutionary, jaw-dropping or unique - just great quality, airy vanilla (it's never too sweet or cloying) over clean musk. I detect some boozy, natural vanilla in Tihota, but I also smell some vanillin, or at least some sort of sugar accord, as the whole thing doesn't necessarily smell "natural" (not to say it smells "synthetic" or fake either). It's pretty good but I can't warrant paying 250$ US for 50 ml of this stuff. If you're a fragrance aficionado, or someone with a nose for quality, you might really like this, but otherwise, skip out on Tihota. I swear that 90% of the population wouldn't even be able to tell you're wearing something not available at a drug store or mainstream fragrance shop (let alone notice you're wearing a 250$ fragrance).

On a final note, in terms of the battle of the expensive vanillas out there, I prefer Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille. Although SDV only really smells like vanilla to me in its dry-down, it's really well crafted and much more interesting than Tihota. Nevertheless, I guess you could say Tihota is still somewhat of a vanilla masterpiece because of its quality and airiness - I'm just picky with hard-to-please taste for fragrances - not to mention that my wallet isn't overflowing with cash.

I'd love to wear Tihota if I got a bottle for free or under 150$, but for the time being, it's not worth the price.

Moderate sillage and strength with good longevity. Overall, it's enjoyable, well constructed and great quality.

9/10

Mostly vanilla and cinnamon to my nose, over a fecal, yet somehow strangely sexually-attractive musk. It's not dirty per se, like Musk Koublai Kahn or Kiehl's Musk, but there's a strange fecal musk in the base that's leathery and magnetic. This stuff has a definite "wow" factor to it – it'll make you take a double (if not triple) sniff in a row - that is, granted you can smell the musk in it... To explain what I mean by that, I need to bring to light the fact that some people think this smells like cinnamon buns, and just cinnamon buns, while others say it smells like sex. This leaves me convinced that some people are anosmic to some of the many different kinds of musk in Musc Ravageur - and believe me, there's a lot. The musk is actually what makes this what it is - without it, this *would just be cinnamon buns. And so, no wonder people are sometimes underwhelmed by MR.

In terms of wearability, Musc Ravageur is a little more feminine than masculine, but definitely unisex IMO. I feel a little weird wearing this, as it's kind of like a leathery, dirty vanilla fragrance, but it's just so strange and intriguing that I can't help wanting to smell like it. It's definitely not conventional. I'm still torn on whether I love it because it smells great or because the musk in the base is so strange and compelling, but either way, Musc Ravageur is a terrific creation that's incredibly enjoyable.

9/10

Gringo opens up with one of the best minty (peppermint) openings I've experienced, along with a touch of lemon. Right from the get-go, you also get notes of camphorous patchouli, frankincense and castoreum. It's one of the most complex fragrances I've smelled from Profumo's line. The drydown is less upbeat than the opening, but it's just as interesting, as the scent becomes more leather and frankincense oriented, along with little hints of vanilla, sandalwood and rose. Overall it's lemony, minty, green, incensey and leathery all at once, with the tiniest hint of vanilla sweetness.

While many of Profumo's fragrances are old fashioned to my nose (that's usually a good thing), Gringo manages to be youthful and modern while also maintaining an earthy, natural feel. It's no easy feat to create something like this.

As far as the pirate/buccaneer connotations on Profumo's site go, they're pretty accurate. Gringo smells like a young man with an old soul - I swear, if it had rum in it, Gringo would smell just how I imagine Jack Sparrow (ie. Johnny Depp) should smell. It's adventurous, rugged and and playfully bad-ass.

Gringo's sillage and longevity are very, very good for an all natural fragrance - probably the longest lasting I've ever tried besides Ayala Moriel's Razala. For example, the dry-down takes about an hour and then it coasts on for about another 8 hours on my skin.

While Gringo isn't a conventional scent, it's very wearable and my small sample has sadly run dry over the past few days. Currently in the top 3 of Profumo's fragrances I've sniffed so far, this will be the next full bottle or decant I purchase if I'm not side-tracked by Tasneem's innocent, sweet and creamy Ylang-Ylang/Jasmine mix.

9/10

In a nutshell, Morning Blossom is a beautiful blend of neroli and bergamot with lavender and a hint of peppery woods, slightly reminiscent of Guerlain's Eau du Coq. There's also a touch of a urine note due to the neroli overdose in the opening, but it's not that noticeable once you get into the peppery lavender dry-down. While the fragrance itself smells fantastic, it's not the way it smells that captivates me, it's the way that it makes me feel. As Asha said below in her spot-on review, this fragrance really is mind/consciousness altering - one whiff and I'm suddenly cool, calm and collected. I don't like to wax poetic about fragrances and I actually try to avoid it, but when I first smelled Morning Blossom, my mind was instantly filled with images of bright blue skies and streams of spring water flowing by.

There is no doubt in my mind that Morning Blossom is one of the most therapeutic and beautiful smelling fragrances I've come across to date. At that, this beauty is short-lived, with minimal sillage unless you overdose on it.

9/10

Creamy, slightly medicinal rose over a subtle sandalwood note, supported by clean musk. The whole thing is airy yet heavy, a little sweet, a little bitter and very sensual. I don't detect any aoud in this, although there could be a tiny drop of it in there. In my opinion, this is the ying to Black Aoud's yang, although I wouldn't say they smell very similar at all.

Although Black Aoud is another beast entirely, I much prefer this to Black Aoud (my second favorite Montale), as it's easier to wear. Attar also gets extra points for not tainting any clothing it touches with hints of rose for weeks on end like Black Aoud.

Overall, a mysterious and sensual rose with a strong middle eastern vibe. While Attar might be harder to pull of here in the west, I can see myself swooning if someone walked by me wearing this.

8.75/10

Jasmin Full opens up with a beautiful, green jasmine note, reminiscent of the real flower, greenery and all. It soon dries down to a more powdery jasmine supported by heady orange flower. While I much prefer the opening to the whole, I do enjoy Jasmin Full from start to finish. Although I doubt it's all-natural, it smells completely natural, and ranks in my top 3 favorite Montale, among Black Aoud and Attar.

Yes, Jasmin Full is a little anemic compared to Lutens' A la Nuit, but while A la Nuit punches your nostrils in the face, Jasmin Full soothes your soul and blows gently by you like a cool breeze. I've smelled natural jasmine essential oil, and although it's enjoyable in itself, it doesn't smell like a jasmine flower in bloom. Jasmin Full, on the other hand, does smell like jasmine in bloom, and that's why it's magical.

I've been searching for a fragrance reminiscent of jasmine and green tea for quite some time now, and Jasmin Full's opening is the closest thing to it. L'artisan Parfumeur's The Pour un Ete comes close, but it's rather synthetic smelling and has something off-putting in it. While I'm not crazy about Jasmin Full's drydown, it never gets too overpowering, and maintains feeling like a gust of wind as you sit by blooming jasmine and orange flowers.

8.5/10

I was surprised and impressed when I first smelled Kouros a few months ago. Not only did I recognize it from my childhood, but it also wasn't quite what I thought it would be. I expected a beast, a tyrant of fragrance, something akin to a mountain of urinal cakes. Well, yes, it does smell a little like urinal cakes, but not enough for someone to say "Dude! You smell like urinal cakes!" And this is coming from someone who thinks Muscs Koublai Kahn smells too much like genitalia. Anyway, Kouros to my nose is more along the lines of a slightly honeyed incense over vanilla, oakmoss and a strong note of civet (which smells a bit like pee but makes this fragrance what it is). I like it, but I would never wear it, as I find it to be too dated, along with the parachute pants, mustaches and fanny packs of the 80s and 90s.

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, this is what your tall, buff and hairy grade 6 gym teacher who wore really small shorts and hit on all the female teachers smelled like. He was cool back then but when you look back on it you're not quite sure what to think anymore...

A classic? yes. A masterpiece? Sure. But it's still not quite wearable for this kid here.

7/10

This is a review of the absolute:

Starts out with a cheap, sweet and fruity shampoo vibe and a ridiculous synthetic attempt at a green tea note, then dries down into something floral along with some cedar. The only enjoyable note here is the cedar while the rest of this fragrance is a joke. I love green tea and this is NOT green tea, zen or relaxing at all. I agree with Odysseusm - AVOID.

5/10

This is a review of the absolute:

Gathering Apples is my favorite of the CB I Hate Perfume line, and probably only because some of my happiest memories involve apple picking in the fall as a kid. Granted, Gathering Apples does smell very, very close to the real thing - it's probably one of the most realistic fragrances I've smelled from CB I hate Perfume. I don't get anything candied here, just lush red apples (and the smell of tannin in their skin) along with wooden baskets. It's not 100% realistic, but like I said, it's as close as you can get.

8.25/10

Smells mostly like pumpkin pie and something along the lines of crushed, dry leaves. Interesting to sniff, but not something I want to wear. Fall (including the month of November) is my favorite time of year and sadly CB I hate Perfume's November is not quite "November" enough for me. Also, it kind of has a scented candle vibe. One of CB's better ones though, as it smells like a slightly better quality Demeter fragrance.

7.75/10

Fleur du Male does smell a little like Le Male, but I believe this is due to the orange flower and musk they both share. Otherwise, it's a different beast entirely. I would describe FdM as a sweet, heady, musky white floral, with dominant accords of orange flower, powdery iris and a small dose of slightly animalic musk along with another clean and sensual musk. I agree with others that this could be pulled off by a woman, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily feminine - just because it smells like orange flowers doesn't mean it smells like a woman in the classical sense.

Although FdM is a favorite of mine, my problem with FdM is that it gets a little bit annoying after an hour or two. It's really a shame though that FdM is so strong and concentrated. Therefore, it's not the type of thing you want to over-spray. While the composition and vibe from this scent are great, I wish it lasted less long (longevity verges on 48 hours) and I'd prefer if it was a bit less heavy. Due to its strength and longevity, I would definitely recommend wearing this in colder weather, or at night. On a positive note, there is now a "cologne" version of FdM, which is lighter and less enveloping, however it's missing a bit of magic compared to the original

Besides the fact that FdM is so strong, it's unique and enjoyable. Like rosy, blissful love in a bottle, FdM is not only romantic and sensual but it toys with one's notions of what smells masculine or feminine. I wear this out from time to time and it's always a head turner as it's not your typical "masculine" fragrance.

If you're looking for something in the vein of this but less potent, you might like Neroli by Czech and Speake - it's a heady floral with a dominant neroli/orange flower note, with much more of a natural feel.

8.5/10

I only sampled this a few times, and so I didn't analyze the notes, but Bonte's Bloom smells very, very close to how a dry field of grass and sunflowers smells on a dry and hot day. There's even something delightfully discordant in there that makes me think of sun baked skin and sweat, although there isn't anything dirty or animalic going on.

It's a little more mature than Nu Green, and has more bohemian chic to it. I can see this being worn by the kind of person who is free-spirited and concerned about the environment, but doesn't necessarily dress from head to toe in hemp and organic cotton.

This leans more on the feminine side of things, but it's definitely unisex. My second favorite of the line.

8/10

Chaman's Party smells to me like a smokey campfire and some sort of musky medicinal cream, along the lines of hydrocortisone cream. The vetiver is there, but it's hardly noticeable, as the campfire smoke is so strong that it masks everything else. It's very strange, surprisingly enjoyable, but not really wearable IMO. Lasts especially long for an all natural fragrance, somewhere along the lines of 3-4 hours.

Overall, I'd say it's more masculine than feminine and very interesting, but I don't particularly want to go around smelling like I spent all night sleeping next to a campfire.

A good one, although not my thing.

7.25/10

The opening is slightly minty and grassy, but seriously only lasts 15 minutes. From then on Nu Green smells mostly like fruit loops and musky pear (this is the ambrette seed, AKA "botanical musk"). It's a playful, youthful and clean musk scent. After it dries down, Nu Green lasts about an hour to 2 hours (depending on how much you apply and where you apply it) before becoming a skin scent, which is only noticeable if you shove your nose into it. Longevity can be increased by applying Nu Green to your clothes.

Overall, this the best of the Honore de Pres line, but I prefer L'artisan Parfumeur's L'eau de Jatamansi and Cote D'Amour to this, as they are much more complex and last at least twice as long. Still, Nu Green is a great achievement in terms of being a well composed, all natural and organic fragrance.

8/10

What a beautiful and unique fragrance. Smells mature without smelling "old" and has an air of adventure that makes me think of the middle east. It smells kind of dry, spicy, dusty and incensey (I smell lots of frankincense) but the base is moist and thick, composed of amber, vanilla and vetiver. This is definitely another fragrance that words cannot do justice in describing - you simply have to try it yourself.

If you want to try to guess what L'air du desert smells like before trying it, check out Andy Tauer's website and read the listing - it smells almost exactly how he describes it, both in imagery and ingredients.

I see LdDM being worn by someone who is rugged and mature in personality. Completely unisex, although I find it better suited to a man. A final word of warning is that LdDM is rather potent and lasts forever, so take it easy on the trigger for this one.

A modern masterpiece.

9/10

On my skin, Razala starts out with a juicy note (I'm guessing this is blood orange) along with rose, tuberose and a hint of orange blossom, however it somehow strangely manages to be more of an amber scent in the opening than a floral one. Unfortunately, as Razala dries down on my skin, it pulls a U-turn, turning into a very soapy floral, with hints of animalic ambergris, a touch of aoud and a good dose of myrrh. While I love the juicy amber opening, the drydown is only so-so for me. If it weren't so soapy on the drydown, I might have found my all-natural holy grail. Nevertheless, a beautiful fragrance with fantastic quality ingredients.

Even throughout its development, Razala manages to be multi dimensional and uni-dimensional at the same time - all the notes just seem to melt into each other, and its hard to tell where the rose ends and the myrrh begins. Sensual, sexy, natural, spiritual…. couldn’t ask for much more. The ambergris and aoud give it a sensual quality while the florals make it charming, and the myrrh gives it a sweet and spiritual touch. It doesn’t smell modern or old-school, it just kind of simply is what it is. What’s nice about “all-naturals” like this is that although they don’t smell as intriguing as synthetics, they smell so much more soothing and peaceful. A keeper if you're into natural fragrances.

8.5/10

Heavy on what smells like pine and cedar (I’m not sure what Hinoki wood smells like on its own), this fragrance has a meditative quality about it – feels kind of like a place out in the country here in Quebec, but with a touch of something comforting like the smell of a steam room minus the sweat. As others have said, this really does smell like a wood shop full of saw dust.

Hinoki smells like what I wished Creed’s Epicea would smell like – a modern piney, woody fragrance. It’s not sensual but it's manly and mysterious. I'm not blown away, but I like it.

8/10

The notes here are kind of hard to decipher, but as others have more or less said, it can be described overall as a smooth and lush combination of sugary-sweet soap and suede, over an extremely magnetic musk called Nirvanolide. Truly soft and comforting, yet sexy and modern, Prada Amber smells like a trendy and clean person’s apartment. It's just one of those fragrances that you have to go out and try, as it's almost impossible to get a feel for it by simply reading reviews - it's that unique that it can't really be imagined without smelling it first. While it does smell pretty synthetic, fortunately it only gets annoying for me if I spray too much. Otherwise, it's pretty sheer and light.

It may sound weird, but I feel compelled to mention that the suede note kind of smells like my dog a bit, but like many dog owners do, I love the smell of my dog and so I also love the smell of Prada Amber. A modern classic and something unique and sexy among the thousands of mundane and repetitive releases these days.

8.5/10

Let me start by saying that this is not, I repeat, is NOT a fragrance that uses lots of natural ingredients (in fact it's probably entirely synthetic). At that, it smells great and I suppose you could say it smells a little bit natural, considering it smells like gasoline.

Onto the scent itself.... Overall, Silver Mountain Water smells like sweet black currants with a strong, inky/petroleum note, along with something akin to green tea and patchouli. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the ink/petroleum note is actually what I love most about SMW (maybe because I love the smell of petroleum at gas stations). Finally, like Millesime Imperial and Green Irish Tweed, SMW dries down to an ambergris (sweet and clean musk) base.

IMO it’s one of the best fragrances for spring and fall - just so crisp and fresh without overdosing on aquatic notes or smelling anything like Aqua di Gio. I have to admit that it does turn a little sour on my skin if I wear it in hot weather, but I’m sure that it’s just chemistry. Otherwise, a great one enjoyed by many.

8.75/10

In short, MI is mostly a juicy melon note over ambergris (a salty, comforting musk) and some sort of (pretty realistic) sea/ozone notes. It's hard to say just what kind of melon is in this because it's obviously a synthetic molecule that is based on melon. IMO, MI is the ultimate aquatic and would be in in my top 10 favorite fragrances of all time if I didn't find myself getting sick of it so easily. There's just something in MI that gives me heartburn and annoys the hell out of me halfway through each wearing. Either way, it's a milestone in the fragrance world, and a huge compliment getter - definitely worth sampling.

On a final note, don't let Creed's false marketing fool you - buy the scents if you like them, not because Creed says they're special, natural or high quality. While the older, classic Creeds are pretty good quality and have a relatively natural feel, the newer ones, like Silver Mountain Water, Green Irish Tweed and Millesime Imperial are obviously at least 90% synthetic, if not 100%. It may be unfortunate that MI was blatantly copied by Sean Jean and named “Unforgivable” but I don't blame him anymore; Millesime Imperial probably costs pennies to make (synthetic ingredients are super cheap) and they're charging 200$ for this stuff while claiming it uses natural ingredients (which it doesn't). So do yourself a favor and go buy some Unforgivable for your wallet's sake.

8.25/10

The best way I can describe Rive Gauche is that it's a sweet and soapy lavender with a hint of patchouli. I’m pretty confident that if you took all the ingredients of Brut (that stuff in the green bottle at the pharmarcy) and re-synthesize them into better quality ingredients, you might have something like Rive Gauche. Although Brut is dated, Rive Gauche doesn’t quite feel dated… although it does smell “old school” as others have said. Kind of like how old school loafers, skinny jeans and fedoras came back in style in the mid-to-late 2000s, Rive Gauche is that old barbershop cologne your grandpa wore, but it’s redone in a modern way that works. That said, I think any age can pull this off – it just makes you smell like a clean intellectual.

On the negative side, RG is a little too strong for my liking – one spray lasts more than 24 hours and is a little overpowering. I haven’t tried RG Light but I imagine I would like it better.

7/10

Edit: I can't wear this anymore, it's just way too strong, synthetic and tenacious for my poor sinuses. To make matters worse, I can't help noticing an uncomfortable plastic note somewhere in the middle notes of the fragrance. If you don't like strong, synthetic fragrances, steer clear of this one...

In a nutshell, Black Aoud is a lush bouquet of dark, moist roses over a base of Cambodian aoud (which smells like something along the lines of medicinal, animalic sandalwood) and patchouli.

Overall, Black Aoud (BA) has a very strong character, and gives off a vibe that is both romantic and mysterious. While it’s a little too strong for my liking, many will rejoice in its concentration and longevity/tenacity (it'll last on clothes for 48 hours +). Very unique and sensual. My favorite of the 6 or 7 Montale's I've tried, however I prefer to wear Montale's Attar, as it doesn't scream so much for attention. Unfortunately, the only time I can see myself wearing this is on an excursion through the Sahara desert or walking the streets of Hindu Kush, surrounded by potent spices and flowers - BA is just too strong for me to pull off comfortably here in the West.

If you like Dark Rose by Czech and Speake, you'll love this, as it's a kissing cousin of the former, but with much better quality ingredients.

8.5/10

My first impression of this was, “Holy mother of God! This smells great!” Then it was “Wait a second, what the &*#! is this?” Since then, I've worn African Queen Pink Panther (AQPP) numerous times, and have come to the conclusion that AQPP is simply “Strange and beautiful.”

AQPP starts off with a bit of tart and mouth watering mandarin, which soon burns off to reveal a combination of Buchu (which provides a strange minty/cat-pee-like note) and Karo Karounde (a flower that smells a bit like flowery leather, but also smells a bit of feet). I’m sure there are other supporting notes, although my nose isn’t well trained enough to isolate them. Overall, AQPP smells like minty, citrusy human skin, glistening with sweat.

In my description above, I mention minty cat pee and flowery feet, and it's because it’s totally necessary to do so – I simply have no other way to describe this fragrance. At the same time, it doesn’t smell like pee or feet per se – while Kouros smells a bit like a urinal, AQPP actually smells fresh, clean and alive. I’ve spoken to Salaam about the minty cat pee note, and he's informed me that this is because Buchu (a member of the mint family) mimics some of the pheromones found in pee and sweat – thus, it makes for an incredibly sensual fragrance note, reminiscent of minty sweat (and, erhh cat pee). Don't get me wrong though, I love this stuff.

AQPP is the type of fragrance that is teetering on a thin line between fantastic and off-putting, although the balance is so impeccable that it is totally wearable (although its still very eccentric). I'm still too much of a wuss to wear this outside of the house, but I can't deny that AQPP is unique, well constructed and always an enjoyable intrigue to smell.

As for longevity and sillage, AQPP doesn't project very loudly, yet it's definitely noticeable. It doesn't last longer than a few hours either, but for an all natural perfume, those are great feats.

If AQPP is not animalic enough for your fancy, Salaam has also created another fragrance named African Queen BLACK Panther. AQBP is basically the same as AQPP, except it's even more raw, sensual and human-like, with the mandarin note being no longer present. Both African Queens are great, but I prefer the Pink to the Black, as it's a little more playful and less bold.

8.5/10

A beautifully clean and musky, jasmine-based scent that somehow doesn't smell floral or feminine - in fact, it's perfectly unisex. Also crisp and slightly citrusy, Gendarme is equally soapy and airy. Not much to say that hasn't already been said here, but I absolutely must state that this lasts a very long time - easily 24 hours on clothes and at least 8 hours on skin. The beauty of this is that most of the time you can't smell it, because for some reason the nose gets habituated to the smell rather fast. Thus, many will think it's gone in an hour - it only seems that way. Just wait a bit and you'll notice that it gives off gentle whiffs throughout the day. Furthermore, you can ask others to smell you, or give your day-old shirt a sniff the next day - you'll notice it's still there. And so, it never bothers or distracts from your day, while emitting a cool, calm and clean aura.

Boring? Maybe, but Gendarme is also completely inoffensive (it's actually known to be hypo allergenic even for the most allergic noses) while being incredibly enjoyable at the same time.

9.25/10

Smells like synthetic violets on steroids with a chalky note reminiscent of cement/concrete and cucumber, over a base of amber, vanilla, (almost indiscernable) patchouli and slightly salty ambergris. Those who like the synthetic style of Le Male may enjoy this, as it's similar in texture (it's thick) and probably 100% synthetic - at that, it's unique like no other and very enjoyable. Seriously, what other fragrances out there smell like wet cement?

There is a definite “je ne sais quoi” vibe to it that demands attention, but the fragrance itself is soft and smooth like a cashmere sweater. It does smell damp, as other reviewers have said, but in a good way.

If you like NS for Him, but find it too potent, you might like Creed's Green Valley, which also has lots of violet leaf over patchouli and musk. Although NR is not my style, it’s very special and an incredibly creative work of olfactory art.

8.5/10

Odeur 53 smells kind of like the smell of a thunderstorm X 10 with some burnt rubber (like over-worked car brakes) and a clean laundry smell. Those are only some of the many notes, but those notes stuck out the most for me, and that’s the best way I can describe it in a nutshell. It’s also surprisingly light and fresh, yet it does come off as very synthetic (after all it’s part of CdG’s synthetic series!).

Strangely enough, when I first tried Odeur 53, I thought I smelled light bulb dust – I was surprised because that’s listed in Odeur 71’s notes, not Odeur 53. Then I got the burnt rubber and nail polish, etc, etc. It’s a lot easier to pick up on some of the other notes in this when you look at the scent pyramid. I think a lot of the notes are subjective - for example, if you want to smell plastic, it's there. If you want to smell honeysuckle, it's there too...

Other than how it smells, well… it’s not amazing but it is quirky and wearable. Like others have mentioned, it has lots of sillage, and it seems to last a good while too. Fortunately it doesn’t get too annoying, and it makes you feel like you’re pulling off some crazy fashion statement in the fragrance world.

Overall, just like Muscs Koublai Khan, Odeur 53 goes into my books as a more of a work of art than a scent I’d like to wear, thus the neutral rating.

nota bene: SirSlarty is right, you really can't smell this for the first 10 minutes or so; then it just wafts up out of nowhere.

7/10

Edit: Yet another fragrance I've changed my mind on months later. Odeur 53 is actually very wearable - it reminds me of just-washed clothes hanging outside before it rains. A nice, fresh scent while still being unique and eccentric.

New rating: 8/10 and a thumbs up instead of a neutral.

Bitter orange peels, red pepper and vetiver over a heavy base of cedar (Ie. Iso E super) and something that smells a bit like dirt. Although the cedar and dirt notes in Terre D'hermes are the most enjoyable part, they give me a headache and they make the fragrance smell very chemically over time. The composition here by Ellena is impeccable and people always seem to compliment me when I wear this, but like I said, there's some sort of synthetic note in this that bothers the hell out of me.

As I've mentioned in my review of Red Vetyver by Montale, that synthetic annoyance isn't present in Red Vetyver, making it the preferable one of the two for me. If you try Terre d'Hermes and you like it, don't bother trying Red Vetyver. If you like Red Vetyver but haven't tried Terre d'Hermes, give it a shot, you might like it. Finally, if you didn't like Terre d'Hermes, give Red Vetyver a try, it's smoother and less annoying.

7.75/10

Edit: Since originally reviewing this one, I've worn Terre d'Hermes a few more times and it's just too synthetic for me. I can't take the overdose of Iso E Super in it, let alone the other synthetics and that dirt note I mention above. So I'm changing my review from a thumbs up to a neutral. Nice composition, but not wearable for me.

This wasn't at all what I expected either - but I love it.

Bleecker Street smells a bit like grass, a bit like vanilla, but it's hard to describe as it's kind of like a grassy, not-too-sweet vanilla candy (a little like those little powdery Rocket candies) more than anything. Anyway, to my nose, it's not a gourmand at all like the description says, and the cassis/cinnamon is minimal if noticeable at all. After a grassy opening, the best part is the clean yet musky-sweet, slightly green vanillic dry-down, which is to die for. Utterly magnetic, youthful and uplifting.

I've been looking for a clean, green scent for quite some time now that isn't too musky, isn't too sweet, doesn't smell like shower gel and doesn't feel chemically - this is it.

Yes, it's pretty synthetic smelling, but the synthetics are thankfully top quality and well blended - without synthetics, fragrance like this could not exist. I don't normally like this kind of fragrance, but like Jrd4t said, I often just can't wait to wear it.

Sillage is low but longevity is insane, lasting on clothes with that amazing dry-down for days.

9/10

No, it's not unique like the other Yves Saint Laurent fragrances, but it does stand up to them in terms of quality. I would even go far enough to say that this is better quality than M7 and Rive Gauche, which are both overly synthetic smelling. While L'homme doesn't do any trail blazing, it's a very enjoyable, fresh oriental with a citrus opening, a ginger kick and a sweet amber base - a great release if you ask me.

The women I know tend to love this stuff and so do I. I have a friend who overdoses on it and yet I still enjoy the whiffs I get of it when he's around. If you like this but want something a little more risque and less common, you might like Creed's Himalaya, as it's also a fresh and peppery oriental with an amber base.

8.75/10

Smells like sour lime over cedar chemical solvent (ie. Iso E Super) and a touch of frankincense. This was seriously so sour that when I think of it, my cheeks twinge the same way they do before biting into a lime, only in the worst way. It actually makes my face feel weird. I guess it's obvious that I really didn’t like this at all. While I appreciate modern synthetic ingredients, Escentric 01 is way too chemically and synthetic to enjoy, with a horrible imbalance in its notes. Furthermore, it's all about marketing as opposed to the actual scent - it probably took a few hours to concoct the fragrance and months to develop the marketing.

While the heavy dose of the aromachemical Iso E Super in Escentric 01 is intriguing, the fragrance is linear, boring and simultaneously annoying. For my daily dose of Iso E Super, I'd rather wear Black XS for men or Light Blue for women, (they're both heavy on the Iso E Super, but much more complex and blended with finesse).

If you'd like to discover what Iso E Super smells like, try Molecule 01 instead (it's pure 100% Iso E Super with nothing else), and skip this one. Then go out and try either Black XS or Light Blue for a nice mix of supporting notes and most importantly, your money's worth.

4/10

I absolutely love the smell of the ocean. I have tried a number of scents that are supposed to smell like the sea: Aqua di Sale, Erolfa, Aqua Bulgari, Sea Wood, Salt Air, etc.

This one comes the closest. The absolute is a bit potent and although I'm not compelled to actually wear it (it seriously smells like the ocean too much to wear) I imagine the water perfume to be great for spraying on clothes.

8/10

Smells like a chemically, artificially scented cedar cleaning product. No surprise this is composed entirely of a single aromachemical, Iso E Super. No blending, no creativity, just a single aromachemical in high concentrations.

While the aromachemical Iso E Super can add life and longevity to a fragrance, wearing it alone is like eating MSG on its own. Worse, as others have said, it literally costs pennies to fill a bottle by the manufacturer. I hate the concept and price mark-up for this marketing ploy so much that I've decided to channel my hatred into creativity with this haiku:

Piece of sh*t fragrance,
Great marketing and bottle,
Still a piece of sh*t.

I feel better now.

0/10

I might get a lot of heat for this, but I just can't stand Chergui. After 2 tries, I've had more than enough of its overpowering syrupy-sweet smell. I like gourmands and sweet fragrances, but this is just too sweet in the wrong way. Not only is Chergui more syrupy than maple syrup from Montreal, but it makes me think of a middle aged bohemian woman (which is not what I'd like to smell like, considering I'm a 22 year old male).
Balance out the syrup, and this would be more classy and wearable - otherwise, I'm sorry to say "Bleeccchh."

5/10

Edit: I've worn this a few times since, and what do you know, it's enjoyable. But I often get overwhelmed by it's syrupy amber strength. If this smelled a little less like a candle, and more like a field of sweet hay, I'd love it. So I'm giving it a neutral instead of a thumbs down.

7/10

For some reason, the combination of wheat and lilac ends up smelling grapefruity on my skin. I like it, but I'm not blown away by this on paper either. It's definitely nice and smells like the name - En passant is the smell of just "passing by" a huge, intense (and perhaps wet) lilac bush, while very distant, wheaty bread cools in the window sill of a very distant house, and for some reason you're holding a cucumber (which doesn't stand out at all either). Although I enjoy En Passant and respect it for its creativity, it's not my style and I see it more as a feminine fragrance. I'll have to "pass" on this one...

Edit: I've since changed my mind, and I'm giving this a thumbs up instead of neutral. This fragrance is meant to be airy and ethereal, and so, when you don't expect too much from it, it's quite enjoyable to smell lilacs all year round.

7.75/10

Sampling Cruel Intentions, I mostly only got aoud, vetiver, a bit of bergamot and castoreum (leathery, animalic musk). I actually found Cruel Intentions to be quite unpleasant at first, as it's very "dirty" smelling. I enjoy aoud on its own and castoreum as a supporting note in other fragrances, but the combination of the two wasn't so great on me. To an unsuspecting nose, the notes of aoud and castoreum together can be rather strange and off-putting.

Although I didn't quite "enjoy" Cruel Intentions, I still respect it. When I first tried CI, it made me re-define my perception of what perfume could be. It might not be conventionally "good" and doesn't fit the mainstream idea of sexy, but it does fit into some strange compelling niche with its dark animalic vibe. I picture Cruel Intentions on a mature man, with a strong ego, who's defining qualities are power and reputation instead of romance. It definitely provides the wearer with an aire of "je ne sais quoi."

6.75/10

Edit: A year later after my original review, I've worn this multiple times and have grown to like it a lot - I just wasn't ready for it. It's slightly sweet, dirty and unique. I'm changing this from a neutral to a thumbs up.

New Rating: 8/10

It's pretty hard for me to describe the notes in this one. It's one of those fragrances that you "just recognize" if you've ever smelled it. Ck One is a very clean, citrus-y floral (synthetic jasmine) with a touch of unrecognizable woods and some very fresh-smelling musk in the base. It's actually a very good example of a synthetic fragrance at it's best.

I used to wear this and CK Be all the time when I was about 10-13 years old, and it brings back some very good memories. (I always liked CK Be a lot more though). I really like CK One overall, but unfortunately I can't wear it these days because it just screams the 90's for me.

On a final note, Azzaro's chrome is very, very similar to CK One, but it feels more modern and crisp, so I'd probably recommend it over Ck One.

7/10

Oak Moss opens up smelling a little like essential oils and at first, feels old fashioned, but as it dries down everything softens up and 3 main ingredients stand out: vetiver, sandalwood and oakmoss. Once these three notes get the chance to balance each other out, the Oak Moss experience is a great one. Sexy, green and musky.

All in all, the best way I can describe Oak Moss is that it smells like a dewey and sweet forest - thus I agree with Profumo that this is the perfume for Tarzan. When I first smelled Oak Moss, it felt unique but also a little familiar. I thought it was the forest vibe, but I now realize it smells very similar to Frederic Malle's Vetiver Extraodinaire - in fact both fragrances are composed heavily of vetiver, woods and musk (ie. oakmoss in Oak Moss and synthetic musk in VE's case). While I enjoy Oak Moss a lot, I prefer Vetiver Extraordinaire by Frederic Malle, as it's more dynamic and modern. At that, Oak Moss is a great replacement for VE should one decide they prefer all natural fragrances.

Sillage and strength are moderate.

8.25/10

Espionage is one helluva classy scent. Although it opens with a bit of fresh bergamot, the bergamot quickly fades as the scent is taken over by very smokey (camp-fire-like) cedar and leather with a background of rose, jasmine, tobacco and vanilla. There’s also a nice musk in the drydown (ambrette seed). More mature than youthful, and little more masculine than feminine, but easily unisex.

At first I thought this was too “classic” smelling, but as time wore on, I really found myself enjoying Espionnage. It’s not quite a casual scent in my books, making it hard to wear without a nice shirt or suit, but if you wanted to, you could wear this anytime. Like I said, it’s kind of old fashioned and classic smelling, but it’s also modern and fresh – the best of both worlds.

A similar scent to Espionnage is Miller Harris’s Feuilles de Tabac, but Espionnage blows it away IMO.

nota bene: What’s really fascinating about natural perfumery like Ayala’s is that your nose never feels bombarded by the fragrance – it just wafts in and out as it pleases in the most comforting way. Due to the natural ingredients, my nose often becomes anosmic to Ayala’s perfumes pretty fast, but I like it that way because it lets me focus on my day without a constant barrage of perfume distracting me. It’s hard to put into words, but her scents just blend perfectly into your aura. Two thumbs up to Ayala Moriel.

8.5/10

Although this doesn't really agree with what the other reviewers have said, for me, Royal Water smells mostly like crisp peaches over some light florals and a bit of musk. It's a pretty light scent if you ask me, and sort of generic smelling too. Even though it's well blended and enjoyable, it doesn't really strike me as amazing or noteworthy. Contrary to what Creed would like you to believe, it's also not the essence of Princess Diana in a bottle.

There are better Creeds on the market than this, and even though I find RW to be a little too feminine for me, I wouldn't even really enjoy wearing it if I were a woman. On the positive side, it is uplifting and cheerful.

6.5/10

I mostly get rich and strong vanilla, heavy jasmine and leather in this one. I heard this was inspired by horseback riding, and it succeeds in my books as being reminiscent of the activity, due to its saddle leather vibe.

Royal Delight, even though created in 1993, strikes me as an old fashioned fragrance. As someone else mentioned, it smells kind of old school and might feel a bit dated for some. So unfortunately, in my case, this is another Creed fragrance that I love to smell but don't really want to wear. Although it's a little dated, I still feel that it can be worn at any age - I don't associate RD with any age group in particular. So even though Royal Delight isn't necessarily a challenge to wear, it's definitely something strange and beautiful that isn't necessarily easy to wear either.

Once again with Creed, this fragrance has great quality ingredients and masterful blending. RD is probably one of the last Creeds that they used mostly natural ingredients in, before the creation of Silver Mountain Water and Millisime Imperial (which are both masterpieces anyway).

Thinking of all the 200 fragrances I've tried so far, I can't really think of anything else in particular that smells like this, so I'll conclude by saying RD is also pretty unique.

7.5/10

Pretty simple - a natural, slightly sweet, spicy cinnamon scent over ambergris. Very enjoyable on myself, but I don't think others would enjoy it as much as I do.

Like the other Creed's from back in the day, Ambre Canelle smells very dated and old-fashioned, but in an eccentric and nostalgic way. It also has the same great quality and blending the other older Creeds have. Like Royal Scottish Lavender, I can't really see myself wearing this, but I would love to smell this on an older person, (male or female), perhaps in the age range of 50+.

Overall, Ambre Cannelle is a simple, yet strange and very interesting fragrance worth trying for fragrance aficionados. I wouldn't suggest trying it though if you're looking for something modern and easily accessible.

7.25/10

Very heavy on the lavender with a bit of clove and only a hint of vanilla in the base. Royal Scottish Lavender was very powdery overall (typical lavender), and I didn't get a lot of amber... From the notes listed, it might seem like this could smell a bit like Rive Gauche, but surprisingly it doesn't. RSL is a very old fashioned scent, and might only appeal to an older crowd, but its a great fragrance at that.

Like Creed's other, older fragrances, this stuff really stands out due to its high quality of ingredients. I wouldn't wear this "out" since it's not very sexy (nor does it have much "life") but I would wear RSL to relax at home while listening to music or reading a book. If you don't like lavender, steer clear from this one!

8/10

Roses, greenery, and a lot of patchouli in the drydown. Voleur des roses might come off as a bit feminine, yet it can easily be pulled off by a man. What's unique about Voleur de Roses is that the Roses smell wet and fresh - you can almost smell the greenness of the stems too. While some people find that this ends up being patchouli 95% of the time they're wearing it, VdR actually maintains the smell of roses on me into the drydown maybe a hours later. I really love this one. If you're looking for something bohemian yet chic and romantic, give this a shot.

Of course no review of VdR would be complete without a reference to the similar fragrance Black Aoud, so... The main difference between the two is that VdR is lighter, fresher and more "green" smelling, while Black Aoud is darker, heavier and smells more like dark voluptuous roses with a more bad ass patchouli vibe. (Picture Black Aoud as big, dark red roses, while VdR is more like smaller, light pink roses).

8.5/10

Pine! That's it mostly it, with cardamon, spices and a bit of citrus like others have mentioned. Epicea is a very simple fragrance, yet it's very natural smelling and enjoyable. The only downside to Epicea is that it smells very mature, as in 65 year-old dad or grandpa mature. Therefore, I can't see myself wearing it, being in my early 20's. I would however love to smell this on someone else - I can maybe picture this on the most "outdoorsy" of my friends.

Epicea is a great example of what Creed could do back in the day. It's really a shame that great quality fragrances like this only make up a very, very small percentage of the market these days. I can understand how this wouldn't appeal to the average, modern fragrance buyer, but man, it must have been some great stuff back in the day.

7.75/10

I think enough has been said about this one that I can keep this review short. The scent pyramid on BN actually describes A-Men really well. My 2 cents here is that although I loooved A-men the first few hours I was wearing it, the last few hours were fragrance hell. Although I love patchouli, the patchouli in A-Men smells kind of "arm-pitty." Unfortunately the dry-down was all arm-pitty patchouli which became really unbearable and the potency of it all gave me a headache and made me nauseous. This is powerful stuff - even after washing it off my wrists, I still smelled like A-Men 24 hours later. (Ironically, I hate it when a fragrance lasts too long). Overall, I'll pass on A-men. Nice idea for a fragrance though.

6.5/10

Atrac is right - Azzaro basically took Ck One and (IMO) improved it by making it more crisp, less musky and more metallic. It's kind of like the refined, sophisticated version of CK One (whereas CK One smells more youthful and playful). Check out my review of Ck One (below) and keep the changes mentioned here in mind, then you'll have an idea of what Azzaro's Chrome smells like.

Once again, like Ck One, this is a synthetic fragrance at it's best. The only reason I don't like to wear this is because it also reminds me of the 90's a little too much.

7.25/10

CK One:

It's pretty hard for me to describe the notes in this one. It's one of those fragrances that you "just recognize" if you've ever smelled it. Ck One is a very clean, citrus-y floral (synthetic jasmine) with a touch of unrecognizable woods and some very fresh-smelling musk in the base.

I have to start off by saying that the potency of Mechant Loup is among the lowest I've ever encountered. The fragrance itself came off as very dry hazelnuts, spice and non-sweet honey in the worst way imaginable. Like Rachelsf has said, in the base there is this other horrible note that L'artisan fragrances sometimes have - it smells kind of chemically. To top it all off, there's also this weird, wet note that smells like stale dog fur after being out in the rain or something. Maybe my imagination is just a little too out there, but I REALLY didn't like this one. Maybe my sample was off... Maybe my nose was tired... Either way, I can't say much else about this. While the fans of Mechant Loup continue to love it, I'm attempting to erase the smell of this from my memory.

3/10

Le Maroc pour Elle is basically a powdery, dusty rose with jasmine, and a small touch of cedar wood that smells a little incense-y/resinous. It’s kind of old fashioned smelling and very heady. It’s also worth mentioning that the rose in this is similar to the rose in Czech & Speake’s No. 88, but a lot more "powdery." I was quite disappointed, since Le Maroc is not really “sunny” like described on Tauer’s website. On the bright side, if you're looking for something feminine and bohemian, this might work. If you're a male, this might require some effort or the right kind of personality to pull off (it's pretty feminine).

Although it’s not bad, Le Maroc doesn’t evoke the kind of imagery or beauty as L’air du Desert Marocain – be forewarned that this isn’t the female version of it either. Creed's Jasmal is *kind of* similar to le Maroc, but I prefer Jasmal much, much more.

6/10

At first whiff, I got oranges, cumin and women’s anti-perspirant (the white bar kind). After a little while, the armpit association has toned down and it's getting more powdery, but I just can't shake the feeling. I didn’t even know this was a Jean Claude Ellena fragrance going into it, but I was sure it was due that uncanny combination of cumin and orange. The sillage really does smell like a stronger version of Bulgari's The Vert, as nthny has said.

Anyway, I’m not blown away by it. Although I’m intrigued, it smells dated for some reason, and the anti-perspirant thing isn’t too nice. ZZtop is right that this is only interesting because it shows where Ellena came from (and nowadays with Terre d'Hermes, we know where he went!) Quite frankly TdH is much better than this, and so is the similar fragrance Bigarrade Concentre from Jean Claude Ellena.

Final note: I like it, but I wouldn’t wear it. Definitely unique, but I wouldn’t recommend it either. If you like this, you should try the other Jean Claude Ellena fragrances I mentioned. Even if you don't like this, you should probably try Terre d'Hermes - it doesn't have that armpit thing going on.

6/10

A "sparkly" lavender and *slightly green smelling fragrance. I was surprised to find that Reverie smells kind of synthetic (Iso E Super maybe?), and no notes really stood out over the others for me besides the lavender. I really didn't get much of the base notes in the pyramid, let alone the pyramid at all. Its very nice, and very feminine, but more of a room spray in my opinion. It's not at all like L'air du desert marocain and not as beautiful or sensual either. While Reverie is a well constructed fragrance, I'm not particularly fond of it, nor am I intrigued. The worst part was that the first spray of this was so potent that I could taste it in my mouth for the first few hours – not a very pleasurable experience. On a final note, I would suggest not to bother with Reverie au Jardin unless you are a middle aged woman.

5.5/10

Rubber tires, hot black roofing tar/pavement, and sweet, smokey vanilla. Surprisingly sexy and wearable, however I don't enjoy smelling like tar. Very strong stuff and not for the faint hearted. One of those fragrances you might like if you love the smell of a busy urban city like New York, especially when there's lots of construction and road-paving going on. (If you live in Montreal like I do, you'll know the smell of fresh pavement quite well, all the while wondering why we still have so many potholes!)

Some say this is similar to Dzing, but I personally don't see any resemblance. I'm sure there is something similar to Bulgari Black out there, but I can't think of anything else very much like it (in my limited fragrance experience).

7/10

Ginger bread and smoky tea, with milk and honey. Sounds great - doesn't smell so great. I'm an avid tea drinker, with a cupboard full of organic teas from all around the world; yet Tea for Two doesn't do much for me. It's a little too sweet on the honey, and I don't enjoy walking around smelling like ginger bread cookies either. If you've never smelled Lapsang Souchong tea (like in T42), I might help you guess how T42 smells by telling you that T42 is reminiscent of a very sweet Chai Latte with honey.

Although the tea note is nice, it goes off into the background pretty fast as the honey and ginger bread notes take over into the dry-down, ironically making me lose my appetite. If you love tea, you should try this, but don't bother if you don't like lots of honey in your black tea.

6/10

.......Really? Like... MAN. What WERE they thinking? I agree with Carl999 that this smells like a cheap and powdery, watered-down rip-off. How can I describe this... old lady perfume? Dollar store perfume? The only highlight is that it reminds me of the original – but minus all the good stuff. Don't even bother trying this unless you live in an environment near the equator.. otherwise this just may break the heart of anyone who's a fan of the original Le Male.

5/10

This is so fresh and youthful - lime and soap over some pungent musk that has a unique "kick." Like it's neon color, MC is so bright and quirky that it instantly puts me in a better mood. IMO, it's not as soapy as others say though - for example, it's not that fresh out of the shower feeling or soapy suds, but more of a crisp and clean citrus feeling. Sillage and strength are low, but that's how it's supposed to be. In Mugler's words, it's a cologne for people who don't like cologne.

I used to wonder why I couldn't stop sniffing this on myself until I found out what the "s" note is from fellow Basenoter Dimitri's blog. The secret was surprising, yet... not so surprising. As Dimitri explains, underneath the citrus soap is one of the dirtiest notes imaginable... Quite an ironic masterpiece in my books.

If you thought this was too quirky, try Original Vetiver by Creed. At twice the price, the vibe is similar, with slightly better quality ingredients and it's longer lasting. The biggest and most noticeable difference between the two would have to be that OV doesn't have the dirty musk base of Mugler Cologne.

If you're looking for a clean and fresh fragrance with low sillage, you might also like "CKbe," which also smells clean and green like Mugler Cologne's, but smells different altogether.

8/10

M7 smells mostly like sweet cherry cough syrup, over a touch of vetiver (green-ness), and a good dose of agarwood/aoud (think animalic and wet rotting wood) and "amber." Once again, a fragrance that might not sound good from my description, but it’s pretty enjoyable. It’s a bit synthetic, but not cloying if you go with just one spray (which is by far enough in my opinion). I can’t tell whether the agarwood is synthetic or just bad quality, but that doesn’t really matter since the fragrance itself comes off as OK quality overall. On a positive note, M7 is very, very sensual and unique – two primary qualities I look for in fragrances. If you like M7, you might also enjoy the line of "aouds" by Montale, which are better quality overall.

Although I didn’t quite like this at first, lately I’ve grown fond of Agarwood and Eastern-style fragrances, so now I can appreciate M7 a little more. In fact, M7 has the kind of vibe I’m looking for in my holy grail of fragrance, however I just can’t bring myself to buy a bottle because I feel that somewhere out there is something similar to M7 with much better quality ingredients – perhaps an Indian or middle eastern attar. The search for the holy grail continues….

7.25/10

It's funny how when a fragrance is made of predominantly synthetic molecules that are far stretches from naturally derived scent molecules, people tend to give very different descriptions of what the fragrance consists of. For example, I found Attitude to be fragrance with some sort of miscellaneous citrus, coffee, a strange raspberry note and musk, while the scent pyramid states a whole bunch of fancy ingredients like "sicilian lemon" and "chinese cedar." (I'm willing to bet the chinese cedar is simply something like Iso E Super).

On the whole, Attitude is almost feminine, very unisex, sweet and playful. This would easily suit someone in their teens or early twenties. Older than that and I would suggest Armani Code if you're bent on wearing something from Armani.

6.5/10

Please forgive my lack of a descriptive review on this one, but all I can say is that Euphoria is simply a chemical mess. Citrus and ginger? Who knows... the whole time I wore this I couldn't specifically decipher any notes, because everything smelled "like" something, but always a blatantly cheap and synthetic version of the real or better quality thing.

While Euphoria is somewhat enjoyable, it's a shame to other classic fragrances in the CK line. It seems to me like CK just wanted to release something with a huge profit margin (I can't see the ingredients in a 50 mL bottle costing more than a dollar to make). On a positive note, this is waayyyy better than CKIN2U.. I don't even think that one's worth a review.

4/10

Fresh coconuts and lime over rum, sugar and musk. I agree with Kahuna Cowboy that ViW is basically Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena, however with much better ingredients.

I'd like to echo the consensus that this isn't an earth-shattering fragrance, but it's very enjoyable, fun and somewhat sexy. The ingredients are all skillfully blended and top quality, like most Creeds. Even though one might associate the coconut with sun-tan lotion, this doesn't smell like sun-tan lotion at all.

At the price Creed charges for this, it might not be worth it to buy a full bottle. However, if you can afford it, by all means enjoy!

8.25/10

Opens with a lot of frankincense and a candied/jam-like note of rose and I’m guessing a bit of clementine. Stays pretty linear the whole time. I feel that this is far more “red” and “embery” than Tauer's Incense Extreme, which to my nose, was very ashy.

I enjoyed experiencing Incense Rose, but at the end of the day, I found myself not really crazy about it. Also, it’s not comforting, nor do I like the character. It's not like IR is annoying or not enjoyable, but it just doesn't do anything for me. Perhaps I feel this way because I'm subconsciously comparing it to Tauer's masterpiece, L'air du Desert Marocain. Either way, Incense Rose just doesn’t put me into a mind state I enjoy, like say, no. 88 or LdDM do. Although it does smell good, it's just not for me. I'd probably appreciate this more on a woman than myself.

7/10

Smells like they say – burnt sugar/cotton candy, sawdust and animals in a circus! I keep telling myself this isn’t wearable, but I can’t help going back to my sample just to get another whiff. There’s something just so captivating about this – it triggers some sort of deep instincts in my psyche and I just can’t forget about it. Dzing truly is a masterpiece and if you’re having trouble like I am with the circus connotations, just tell yourself it’s an amazing leather scent, which in essence, it is. I’d recommend Dzing as a great introduction into the world of niche perfumery.

8.5/10

Unforgivable smells ALMOST exactly like MI, only there is an herbal quality added to Unforgivable (I'm guessing to avoid copyright infringement). It's also missing the ambergris and realistic ozone notes of MI, but essentially, Unforgivable is a complete rip-off of MI. Others may see resemblances to Wall Street, but I imagine this is because Wall Street smells a little like MI, which smells like Unforgivable...

All in all, the differences aren’t big enough to buy MI over Unforgivable, unless of course you, yourself, notice (the huge) gap in quality between the two. The gap in quality might not be obvious at first, but it becomes blatant when comparing the dry-downs. I’m actually really unimpressed with "Diddy" but then again what did you expect from him? A groundbreaking fragrance from a man who based his whole career on "sampling" other people's music in his rap songs? I think not.

Ranting aside, if you don't like ambergris (an animalic musk in MI), go for Unforgivable. If you want a better quality fragrance and you enjoy ambergris, get Millisime Imperial. I personally much, much prefer Millisime Imperial.


0/10 for Diddy

Geir smells more like a really refreshing "mountain scent" fabric softener or laundry detergent than anything else to me. I don't smell any really discernible notes, and it feels pretty synthetic. At that, I'm still a big fan of this stuff, but I can't imagine buying a full bottle. I'm also not sure about that "cool" note in it - It's really hard to describe, since the note doesn't smell like anything, while it simply feels cold... strange and disconcerting. As Wiley1st said, don't overspray, unless you want Geir to get all "chemically" on you.

7.25/10

Like others have said, this is predominantly jasmine. "Jasmine" by KM is a very simple, minimalistic scent. (I also get a little bit of honeysuckle sweetness like other reviewers here have mentioned). This fragrance starts out smelling much like the jasmine you would find in jasmine green tea, then dries down to a powdery, feminine jasmine. A little too feminine for me to pull off... Nice though - wouldn’t mind this on a girl.

If you're looking for a "jasmine and green tea" scent, try "The pour un Ete" by L'artisan parfumeur - it's not quite the same as sniffing some organic loose leaf jasmine tea, but it's as close as I've gotten so far.

7.5/10

It's hard to explain how this smells without actually sending you in the wrong direction. Nutmeg, clove, orange, rose? My advice would be to take all the descriptions in everyone's reviews here and put them altogether to get a good sense of this stuff. I guess I can add that NE also kind of synthetic, and smells like a makeup bag, or plastic, or.... man I don't even know. Noire Epices is so unique that I'm not even sure whether I like it or not. I mean I know I can pull this off, but is it really worth the effort?

Noire Epices is such a strange and dissonant scent that I'm not really compelled to wear it (and I'm a person who likes weird smelling fragrances). So I guess NE is at least good for when you wanna smell different. I might also add that it's more feminine than masculine, but not in girly way; it's more of a womanly smell. I personally think that there's way better stuff out there but this is still worth trying because it's just so damn funky. It takes the right kinda person to pull this off. A definite "try-before-you-buy."

6.5/10

Wallstreet is definitely up there with Millisime Imperial as one of, if not the best aquatic fragrances. WS in a nutshell is slightly sweet cucumber over the salty, refreshing smell of the sea. Although this is reminiscent of Millisime Imperial by Creed, WS is pretty different, in the sense that it has no ambergris and the melon is replaced by cucumber. The two fragrances are only similar because they both have a “sea” note in them, with WS’s ocean vibe being a lot stronger. WS also lasts a lot longer than MI, but it's more linear. On a final note, when you really think about it, this really does smell (fittingly so) like crisp dollar bills too.

8.5/10

Like others have said, this does smell very, very similar to Terre D’Hermes. In my mind, that’s a good thing though. Although I’m sure both RV and TdH smell pretty different next to each other, they would probably smell the same to an unsuspecting nose.

The main difference between the two is that Red Vetyver replaces the orange of TdH with grapefruit, and seems to take it easier on the synthetics. RV is better IMO, since it seems to have less of that synthetic dirt/mineral note + Iso E Super combination that annoys me in TdH.


I’m pretty sure this was released after TdH, meaning it’s not very original (and a pretty blatant copy of TdH!), however I do like it better than TdH. Seeing as how this an improvement and not a cheap rip-off (like Unforgivable by Sean Jean making a sh*tty version of Creed’s Millisime Imperial), I feel compelled to give this an unbiased rating, regardless of copyright infringement.

8/10

In a nutshell, this is basically anise (kinda like black licorice) over extremely sweet (and cloying) vanilla.

I don’t mind synthetic ingredients – some of my favorite fragrances, which I consider to be masterpieces, are primarily synthetic. However, Lolita Lempicka is a synthetic bomb of fragrance which is headache inducing at the least. What did they put in here? It almost feels toxic… Strange enough, this stuff actually smells great, but only for the first few minutes, at which point I start to feel nauseous and light-headed. If you’re sensitive to certain perfumes or fragrances, stay away from this one.

4/10

Let me start by saying that this only smells like ocean because you expect it to. In reality, it smells more like baby wipes, something slightly fecal (a la Musc Ravageur), and a slightly salty kind of play-doe smell with overtones of Noxzema creme… Not at all what I was expecting! It smells less like the ocean, and more like human skin drying in the sun after a dip in the ocean. To me, Aqua di Sale is a definitely a skin scent – over-apply it and you’ll probably just get a bunch of play-doe and Noxzema – wear the right amount and you’ll end up smelling like as though your skin just naturally smells great. Although Aqua di sale smells more realistic than Sel de Vetiver, I personally prefer Sel de Vetiver because it smells (different and is) better overall with the same kind of effect…

nota bene: While Erolfa and Aqua Bulgari smell more like the ocean, Sel de Vetiver and Acqua di sale smell more like ocean-kissed skin. (Therefore, Acqua de Sale is one of those fragrances I can only enjoy on skin, not my clothes).

7/10

Dry, yet somehow damp and green. If you enjoy or know what real yerba mate smells like, this is similar, but disappointingly different. It smells more mossy than grassy, and more musty than fresh. I didn’t really enjoy this, since it smells old fashioned and kind of like a bitter, damp swamp, instead of how I imagined it would (ie. fresh Japanese green tea (sencha) and yerba mate). Well… I’ll stop complaining and just say that I didn’t like it.

I feel bad giving it a neutral because I admire Ayala's work (especially Razala), but this just didn't do it for me.

6/10

Take some orange, add some vanilla, then add some metallic "clean bathroom smell" and urinal cakes. Surprisingly, its not as bad as it seems, and its pretty fascinating, however I just don’t “like” it. It doesn’t smell “good” and it doesn’t smell “bad.” Anyway, there's better stuff out there, and it feels a bit dated to me anyway. On second thought, maybe I’m being too open minded - this stuff can be pretty gross. My extreme fascination for it is slightly overpowered by the smell of urinal cakes and I’m starting to feel nauseous. Well, you might like it. Definitely worth trying, especially if you like to smell unique. After all, it may react completely differently on your skin.

9/10 for originality, 4/10 overall (for me)

To my nose, this was all grass and... some other hard to distinguish stuff. Smells really good though, like clean grass and light lemony soap. Nothing to write home about but nice, and goes well under the radar. If you like this, but aren’t intrigued, try Mugler cologne. It’s similar, much sexier, but a little more synthetic and lime-y.

Unfortunately, after a while I noticed something in this that is very bothersome… there is this chemical note in it that wears off with time, but MAN is it ever gross. Is it cinnamon floor cleaner? Acetone? I’m having a hard time describing it but all I can say it makes me not want to wear this. Rather ironic since otherwise, this smells so natural! What a shame...

7/10

This opens like a cacophony of notes, like the best spice rack you’ve ever smelled. Cardomon, cinnamon, clove, pepper, nutmeg, etc. Smells amazing. Would I wear it? Probably not. This stuff is very mature and classy, but not in the way I like to smell, and not in the way that I find appealing or sexy. It is however very, very well blended and top quality. If I wanted to smell like a spice rack, I would have found my holy grail.

9/10 for quality and craftsmanship (even though I don't want to wear it)

For me this is slightly salty grapefruit and vetiver with a floral tinge. Not a lot of character but it's very nice, and really does remind me of the smell of one's skin after a swim in the salty ocean.

Don’t ask me why, but this reminds me a bit of En passant.

8/10

I thought I would hate this. Then at first spray, I absolutely loved it. Then I realized this is what all the douchebags in Montreal wear. Worst of all, they overdo it. Either way, once I put those associations to the side, I came to terms with myself, and admitted this is a masterpiece. It’s sexy, youthful, clean, and has the tiniest bit of barbershop accord to it giving it some class. It’s also unique in the sense that it’s a gourmand that doesn’t smell like cookies, but more like some sort of other dimension candy that doesn’t exist. Although Body Kouros and Lolita Lempicka have a similar vanilla base to le male, those fragrances get annoying on me while le male just stays so fresh and amazing the whole time. Strangely, if this wasn’t a synthetic, it wouldn’t be so good. I also have to reluctantly admit that I’d probably give this a 10/10 if it was niche or not so over-worn by everyone and their mother.

9/10

Oh god. I thought this would be my holy grail, but instead it just smells like unwashed genitalia doused in rose oil or some old world perfume. Put it all together, and you get the smell of an old, unwashed man wearing old man cologne. I admire the construction and idea of this, so I feel bad giving it a thumbs down, but please, please, please think strongly before you decide to wear this – it really turns me off, and I’d probably be disgusted if I smelled this on anyone. Not to be cocky, but my own genitals already smell better than this. I think Muscs Koublai Khan is definitely of an ironic fragrance, because in this modern era, we tend to wear perfume to smell good, and usually to mask our own body odor, whereas MKK MAKES you smell like body odor (if not genitals). SO – if you want to save money, just shower less and use light amounts of perfume or cologne and you’ll get the same effect, all the while still smelling like your YOURSELF, and not someone else’s genitals. Total waste of money in my opinion. Muscs Koublai Khan belongs in a fragrance museum, not on my body.

5/10

WHOoooooaaaaaaaaa.... man is the sample I got of this ever potent. It's like getting slapped in the head by a giant BOUQUET OF TUBEROSE AND ORANGE BLOSSOMS. I'm having a very hard time jumping onto the unisex bandwagon. Although I'm sure SOME men could pull this off, I personally can't see myself wearing it - it's just too PERFUMEY. Besides the fact that this also reminds me of an air freshener my mother used to use around the house, this would be great on a woman who wants to be noticed. It actually smells pretty close to how I imagined Candace Bergen would smell! Just please take it easy on the trigger - if you wear too much of this you might catch me gagging nearby. Gets a neutral 'cause I personally wouldn't want my girfriend to wear this, but I also wouldn't mind.

7/10

This smells like a slightly floral, branchy tree or bush that I tumbled into in my youth, on a sunny day. The notes I get the most are those of grapefruit, petitgrain, neroli and sandalwood and for some reason a touch of leather. Either way, this fragrance speaks for itself - it's elegant yet can be worn casually and it's just remarkably intriguing. Like most Creeds, the notes are blended into a smooth and beautiful composition, however, (as Vibert said below), it (fortunately) doesn't smell anything like Millisime Imperial, Green Irish Tweed or Erolfa. Neroli Sauvage is a very unique, signature-type scent that has lots of character. It's fresh, crisp, citrusy and woodsy without smelling at all like the many L'eau D'issey clones out there.

This is one of the few Creeds which is actually somewhat worth the money. If you're looking for something unique, try this. So far this is my favourite Creed fragrance and the only cologne I bought this year. This is perfect for daytime in the spring and fall, but it can also pass for a summer scent. Age range is anywhere from the 20s and beyond. This is definitely worth trying at least once. Although it's not incredibly sensual like le Male or Black Xs, its simply beautiful, alluring and gives off a great vibe.

9/10

Update: I just bought another bottle of this and it smells totally different than my previous one. Other reviewers were right - each batch seems to be different so beware! While one bottle was woodsy and long lasting, the other was simply citrusy, and only lasted an hour. I had to return it...