Reviews by L'Aventurier

    Showing 1 to 30 of 110.
    rating


    Angeliques Sous La Pluie by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle

    Icy, cool, peppery, woody.

    A gin and tonic on a rainy day.

    A walk through a wet garden of geranium and angelica.

    Cool morning mist in a cedar tree forest.

    10/10

    5th April, 2010.

    rating


    Ambre Nuit Cologne by Christian Dior

    A strawberry tinged rose over a transparent and sweet amber base. There's also a slight powdery facet, but it stays under the radar all the while keeping the whole thing from going into candy land.

    While it teeters on the masculine side, Ambre Nuit is no doubt a unisex fragrance. Women looking for something similar but more feminine might appreciate Indult's Manakara, which shares the strawberry rose sweetness of Ambre Nuit.

    9/10

    12nd February, 2010.

    rating


    Bergamotto Marino by Gianfranco Ferré

    Sweet bergamot and orange, chalky florals, a touch of seaweed and musky ambergris. The way it smells doesn't strike me as groundbreaking, but I'm addicted to its clean vibe. Bergamotto Marino smells to me like fresh new sneakers with a soapy orange-floral twist.

    While Bergamotto Marino isn't the aquatic I hoped it to be, I've really grown to enjoy it for what it is. It's uplifting and clean, (so you can wear it on hot days) but it also has enough substance and character to be noticeable without having to spray a lot of it.

    It's also a great spring and summer fragrance, considering that Bergamotto Marino's sillage and longevity are out of this world for an "eau de cologne."

    9/10

    3rd December, 2009.

    rating


    Oud Wood by Tom Ford

    A fresh oud fragrance? Who would have thought?

    Oud Wood by Tom Ford smells to me like a hybrid of a fresh fragrance like Bulgari pour Homme and some sort of peppery, oriental vanilla-sandalwood-oud fragrance. I don't really get any those raspberry notes that others have mentioned, but I do smell a huge dollop of some sort of unique musk cocktail that smells simultaneously like clean laundry, sweat and erhhh semen..... In fact, that's where I smell the similarities between Bulgari PH and Oud Wood.

    Those who like M7 might also enjoy Oud Wood, however the two fragrances are worlds apart if you take away the synthetic oud note that they both share. While the price is definitely inflated (I don't smell any natural oud/agarwood), the final result is just right.

    9.5/10

    3rd December, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th July, 2010.)

    rating


    New York by Parfums de Nicolaï

    A beautiful oriental fougere, with a classy, yet comforting and laid back vibe. There is no doubt in my mind that New York is a masterpiece, however I'm not compelled to wear it, as I associate the way it smells with older gentlemen of my youth, such as my grandfather. Thumbs way up nonetheless.

    10/10

    3rd December, 2009.

    rating


    Absolument Absinthe Le Parfum D'Interdits by Liquoristerie de Provence

    A soapy generic floral that doesn't smell like absinthe at all. A total marketing gimmick and rip-off.

    5/10

    30th November, 2009.

    rating


    Midnight Oud by Juliette Has a Gun

    Very similar in structure to Dark Rose and Black Aoud, however Midnight Oud is sweeter (there are slight strawberry overtones to the rose) and the dark, barnyard feel of the oud is lightened here, due to a cleverly placed accord of geranium. Midnight Oud is, in other words, a sweet rose fragrance with notes of cool and fresh geranium supported by patchouli and a modest oud note in the base. I do think this is the most wearable rose/oud fragrance released to date, but I also find it to be somewhat perfumey and a little feminine (although still unisex).

    I like how the oud in Midnight Oud is only a supporting note (as opposed to being the medicinal and leathery star of the show like in most Montale fragrances). At the same time, I'm not blown away, as Midnight Oud has traded in a bit of its exoticism and spiritual edge in order to be more friendly to Western noses. At least the price is right, and the fragrance is very wearable and enjoyable. As for me, I still haven't found the rose/oud holy grail.

    8.5/10

    26th November, 2009.

    rating


    Costume National 21 by Costume National

    Costume National 21 is an amber fragrance, and while it shares some similarities to the famous ambers such as Ambre Sultan, Ambre Precieux and Ambre 114, it's anything but generic-smelling and easily stands apart from the aforementioned ambers due to it's unique notes and modern feel. It's more or less a smooth amber fragrance with milky overtones, a perfect dose of patchouli and slight accompanying facets of clary sage and vetiver. In the base is a sumptuous vanilla with a touch of oud and other ambery resins, giving it a sexy edge without going into animalic territory. I see it as the younger, sexier and less austere version of L'Air du Desert Marocain.

    Modern, sexy, somewhat unique and trendy - there's seriously nothing missing here. Add to that good sillage and longevity and you've got a wonderful piece of work, worth every penny they are asking for it.

    Quite possibly my favorite modern interpretation of an amber fragrance.

    9.25/10

    26th November, 2009.

    rating


    Dior Homme Sport by Christian Dior

    Smells nothing like the original Dior Homme and comes off rather synthetic and generic. By naming this fragrance after the original Dior Homme, Dior has not only disappointed fans of the original, but also let those down that expected a sport version of it.

    In the end, it is however, enjoyable and fresh, with a prominent and stimulating ginger note. As it stands, I don't find DH Sport that compelling, but I haven't tried it in the summer, so I can't make any final remarks. Perhaps it truly shines in the summer. I shouldn't have posted this review without a few wearings throughout different weather, but as it stands, consider this a hesitant thumbs up for now.

    8/10

    23rd November, 2009. (Last Edited: 15th December, 2009.)

    rating


    Givenchy Play by Givenchy

    A citrusy fragrance with a sensual and peppery-woody-amber base. Sad to say, but the best part about this one is that Justin Timberlake is the poster boy. Other than that, it's pretty enjoyable, but nothing special. I can't find anything terribly wrong with it, but the ingredients are cheap and the actual way it smells is pretty generic. It's definitely not a disgrace for Timberlake to be endorsing Givenchy Play, it's just nothing to be proud of. I think fragrances like Black XS and Escada Magnetism do the sexy-playful thing much better.

    7.25/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    L'Eau de Jatamansi by L'Artisan Parfumeur

    Diamondflame nails this perfectly in his review, so I won't bother describing the scent. I will however detail my thoughts and experience with L'Eau de Jatamansi, among other all-natural fragrances.

    Over the past year, I've spent a lot of time and money trying out different brands of "all-natural" and/or organic fragrances. After sampling from houses like Ayala Moriel, Profumo.it, Honore des Pres and Strange Invisible Perfumes, L'Eau de Jatamansi is hands down my favorite all-natural (let alone organic) fragrance. The ingredients are top notch, the blending is great and the longevity is impressively long for an all natural fragrance. It might be slightly bordering on the feminine side of things, but it's not difficult at all for a man to pull this off.

    While I'm truly impressed with L'Eau de Jatamansi, it's not my favorite fragrance of all time, and so I only wear it every once in a while. On the other hand, it's hard to complain or find any faults in a fragrance like this, considering that the possibilities are somewhat limited when you're working with all natural ingredients. All in all, L'Eau de Jatamansi is an natural and organic masterpiece that stands up to rest of the bunch out there using ingredients made of who-knows-what from who-knows-where.

    9/10

    P.S. Equally impressive is L'Artisan Parfumeur's other all-natural and organic fragrance "Cote d'Amour," which smells like a seaside bouquet of florals.

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Dior Homme by Christian Dior

    Picture your mother's make-up bag, cocoa powder and leather and there you have it: Dior Homme. When I first tried it, I wasn't enthused. So I tried it again, and came to the conclusion that I actually liked it. When I tried it again after that, I realized that yes, this is a fantastic fragrance, but it's not as groundbreaking as it is often made out to be. Although Dior Homme doesn't necessarily smell feminine, this kind of thing has been done before in countless feminine fragrances over the past few decades. The real surprise to me is that it took so long for someone like Olivier Polge to capitalize on this style of fragrance and market it to men in a modern-smelling fragrance.

    While I enjoy Dior Homme, I find it a bit too sweet and powdery to wear. I much prefer Kenzo Power, which is less gourmand but just as floral and powdery, making it more wearable (Kenzo Power was also created by Olivier Polge).

    8.5/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermès

    My favorite citrus scent, and I've tried them all. Orangey citrus over a mossy and leathery base. Smells old-school, but not dated or too animalic. Great quality ingredients and incredibly refreshing without being too transparent. The feel is just right - not too thin (doesn't feel like it's lacking something) and not too thick (doesn't feel heavy at all). On top of it all, it's a citrus scent with character, which is a rare feat.

    Pretty much the only scent I know of that works perfectly in any temperature, while excelling in hot and humid climates. While the tart citrus burns off pretty fast, you're left with an orangey leather moss (chypre) drydown that lasts quite a while.

    10/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Bulgari pour Homme Extreme by Bulgari

    Bulgari PH Extreme is the fragrant equivalent of blasting classical music on huge speakers at a deafening volume. It just doesn't work and loses all it's charm. While I absolutely love the original Bulgari PH, the Extreme version just came off too loud, synthetic and uncomfortable for me. The main difference between the two is that the Extreme employs a nice grapefruit opening that the original does not have, all the while overdosing on all the harsh ingredients of the original and none of the soft, musky ones. Instead of being zen and understated, Bulgari PH Extreme is chemically and.... well, too extreme.

    5.5/10

    23rd November, 2009. (Last Edited: 15th December, 2009.)

    rating


    Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka

    Can't remember what the specific notes in this are, but a friend of mine wears it and it smells nice on her. Lolita Lempicka's caveats, however, are that it smells rather cheap and synthetic. It's really easy to overdose on this, meaning a few sprays too much can turn into headaches and complaints from those around you. Nice enough, but if you must wear something heavy, sexy and modern, I'd rather smell something a little more classy like Chance by Chanel.

    7/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Mitsouko by Guerlain

    Utterly hideous and beautiful at the same time, Mitsouko is probably among the 10 best fragrances ever created on the planet, and I'm basing that opinion on the reformulated versions - I can only imagine what vintage Mitsouko smells like.

    The scent can be described as having peach skin overtones rounded out by a spicy, powdery, mossy, green, hay-like base. Somehow the peach is not sweet at all, however it is slightly juicy and mouth watering. The most surprising thing about Mitsouko is that it's easily unisex, if not somewhat butch with its animalic chypre undertones. One of the only fragrances out there that actually embodies an authentic oriental/Japanese vibe, while still maintaining that romantic French touch that is so characteristic of classic Guerlain's.

    While Mitsouko is a wonderful work of art, it is, however, quite dated and not easy to pull off for younger generations. On the other hand, anyone with a nose for beauty will enjoy smelling Mitsouko, even if they don't want to smell like it.

    Mitsouko is more than a masterpiece - it's perfume history in a bottle.

    11/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Après L'ondée by Guerlain

    A cool, wet and creamy white floral scent (I smell ylang ylang and iris above all) that dries down to what smells like the best vanillic talcum powder ever created (ie. Guerlinade). Named so exquisitely in french, the name translates to "After the Rain Shower." Other than Tokyo by Kenzo, I just can't think of any other fragrance that smells so much like the air after a cool rain shower. Don't get me wrong though, Tokyo and Apres l'Ondee are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of the way the smell. While Tokyo is electric, synthetic and upbeat like Tokyo city after a drizzle, Apres l'Ondee is a natural, fresh and damp garden of ylang ylang and iris after a rain storm.

    Totally unisex, understated and appropriate for any occasion.

    If you tried L'Heure Bleue and liked it, but thought it was too strong or perfumey, this is for you.

    10/10

    23rd November, 2009.

    rating


    Lumière Noire pour Femme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

    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

    20th November, 2009.

    rating


    Ultraviolet Man by Paco Rabanne

    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

    20th November, 2009.

    rating


    Blu Mediterraneo Mirto di Panarea by Acqua di Parma

    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

    19th November, 2009.

    rating


    Citizen Queen by Juliette Has a Gun

    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

    19th November, 2009.

    rating


    Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi by Acqua di Parma

    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

    19th November, 2009.

    rating


    Blu Mediterraneo Capri Orange / Arancia by Acqua di Parma

    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

    19th November, 2009.

    rating


    Blu Mediterraneo Tuscan Cypress / Cipresso di Toscana by Acqua di Parma

    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

    19th November, 2009.

    rating


    C16 by Indult

    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 in an olfactory slide show, 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.

    I didn't find C16 to be a light fragrance, but it's definitely not oppressive either. While the way it smells isn't particularly unique overall, the way it progresses throughout the day is quite genius. It's a little bit of everything all blended to perfection. While I have to admit that C16 somehow never "wowed" me, it did slowly seduce me. I think that's the point.

    9.5/10

    18th November, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th July, 2010.)

    rating


    Enlévement au Sérail / FK3 by MDCI

    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

    18th November, 2009.

    rating


    Ambre Topkapi / PB by MDCI

    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

    18th November, 2009.

    rating


    Cologne pour le Matin by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

    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

    17th November, 2009.

    rating


    Cologne pour le Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

    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

    17th November, 2009.

    rating


    Lumière Noire pour Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

    If you've ever sniffed Narciso Rodriguez for Women, loved it, and wished there was a male equivalent, here it is. Lumiere Noire is a rose and patchouli mix with a touch of cinnamon and cumin over a base of clean egyptian-style musk. The texture is thick, yet smooth and airy. Despite what you would expect, the blending is seamless and the aura is clean and sensual. It's most definitely unisex, but not necessarily feminine. Great stuff.

    10/10

    17th November, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th July, 2010.)

    Showing 1 to 30 of 110.


Latest Threads

Partners


 
Useful Links
Read, View, Friend, Follow

Get in touch

Basenotes.net
BCM Box 1111
London WC1N 3XX
United Kingdom