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Complex by Boadicea the Victorious

post #1 of 40
8/6/09 at 12:08pm
Thread Starter 
Polarized reviews? Check
Deep, dark, masculine, leather, tar, bitter? Check
Too much? Too expensive? Check
Polarized reviews? Check

The reviews are negative enough for me to wear it. Anyone tested this?

http://www.luckyscent.com/shop/secti...s/Complex.html
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post #2 of 40
8/6/09 at 12:37pm
Here's a piece from something I posted on a related thread:

My partner said that he thinks Complex smells like a roach (not the insect). I can see that, but the leather is strong and true. Imagine a guy putting on a spritz of Gray Flannel instead of showering and then wearing a leather jacket with a big bag of roaches in his pocket and you're in the ballpark. Not totally without its appeal, but I'll probably pass.

I haven't sampled it again since I wrote the above paragraph to see if I still view it this way. I'll be curious to hear what others think, but I'd have to really love a fragrance to spend that much money on it, and I don't see that happening with this one based on my first exposure to it.
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post #3 of 40
8/7/09 at 12:03pm
Thread Starter 
Sounds right up my alley, a scent when Mazzolari Lui or Musk Ghazelle don't cut it
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post #4 of 40
8/8/09 at 1:52pm
Thread Starter 
Bump, any other people have any comments?
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post #5 of 40
8/8/09 at 2:41pm
This was the most disgusting scent I have ever smelled...EVER! I cannot emphasize the sillage this thing has. Makes Angel smell like an Ellena
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post #6 of 40
8/9/09 at 2:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scent View Post

This was the most disgusting scent I have ever smelled...EVER! I cannot emphasize the sillage this thing has. Makes Angel smell like an Ellena

My god, now I must try it.
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post #7 of 40
8/9/09 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scent View Post

This was the most disgusting scent I have ever smelled...EVER! I cannot emphasize the sillage this thing has. Makes Angel smell like an Ellena

I don't find the scent disgusting. I am sampling for the second time as I'm typing this. It smells OK to me.The only thing I find disgusting is the not finished quality of every Boadicea the Victorious. I've sampled 17 now. Lasting power and sillage sucks on every one of them.I think they should get out of the fragrance business and go into bottle designing. I like their bottles better than their juice.
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post #8 of 40
8/9/09 at 6:36pm
Here's my take on it:

Complex is one step above Secretions Magnifique in terms of wearability. I like animalic, dark notes but Complex is poorly constructed a mess of animalic notes with no purpose. A touch of violet appears but it's not only totally inadequate to balance the 'dirty' notes but it's a total ripoff of an exiting fragrance. Specifically, Complex smells like someone sprayed their arm with Cuir Amethyste then dipped it in a full ashtray. Unlike Secretions - which is supposed to an artistic statement and is deliberately unwearable - Boadicea seems to consider Complex as a viable fragrance.

Complex not only isn't worth $175, it's far worse then anything I can find at the drugstore for $10.
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post #9 of 40
1/18/11 at 1:02am
It's both disgusting and intriguing at the same time. I'm getting a cross between Black Afgano's dense smoke and something from the synthetic series by CdG. I get oily auto parts, deep smoke and something animalistic. It is not for the faint of heart. I'm guessing this might smell like cows mating. It's headache inducing for sure.
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post #10 of 40
1/18/11 at 3:56am
UGH! I just want to express my disgust for this scent again! This summer, my friend decided to torture me on a London double-decker by dousing himself in Complex! I got so nauseous, I went upstairs and literally stuck my nose out the window for some much needed air!
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post #11 of 40
5/29/11 at 6:10pm
Got sample vials of 3 Boadiceas (after buying Amouage), complex, adventurous, and energizer.

Tried Complex first. Wow! This is big. I was planning to smell some more samples tonight, but I'd have to give up. Just a dab with the plastic stick of the vial and I cannot smell anything else. (I dabbed adventurous on the other arm, but I cannot smell much, if I dig my nose I feel a faint fruity floral, but that's probably an hallucination.)

I'm only 1 hr into it. People talk about animalic, so far I don't get any. To me, it's like the darkest, bitterest vegetable, with some of the mossy, decomposing forest floor. Makes me think of some Italian liquor bitter (an acquired taste, for sure), but perhaps one that has by mistake thrown in also some poisonous plants (has anyone ever smelled hemlock or jimsonweed? there's that fully inedible, mousy smell). I wasn't thinking about leather, but after reading the reviews above I must say that the bitter darkness of Complex could indeed recall leathers.

Among existing perfumes, the only one I can think of is, as others suggested, Grey Flannel, but only very distantly so. Complex has none of the chemical green-ness of Grey flannel, and smells more natural (from some deep obscure forest, that is).

In any case, I'll see if I can resist for the whole drydown, but this is a bold, interesting thing that may make it on my to-buy list. Now, this was a dab - so I can hardly imagine what a spray would be.

cacio
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post #12 of 40
5/30/11 at 2:00am
I was wondering why I couldn't get any sleep yesterday cacio? Must've smelt that Complex you opened LOL!
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post #13 of 40
5/30/11 at 3:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Got sample vials of 3 Boadiceas (after buying Amouage), complex, adventurous, and energizer.

Tried Complex first. Wow! This is big. I was planning to smell some more samples tonight, but I'd have to give up. Just a dab with the plastic stick of the vial and I cannot smell anything else. (I dabbed adventurous on the other arm, but I cannot smell much, if I dig my nose I feel a faint fruity floral, but that's probably an hallucination.)

I'm only 1 hr into it. People talk about animalic, so far I don't get any. To me, it's like the darkest, bitterest vegetable, with some of the mossy, decomposing forest floor. Makes me think of some Italian liquor bitter (an acquired taste, for sure), but perhaps one that has by mistake thrown in also some poisonous plants (has anyone ever smelled hemlock or jimsonweed? there's that fully inedible, mousy smell). I wasn't thinking about leather, but after reading the reviews above I must say that the bitter darkness of Complex could indeed recall leathers.

Among existing perfumes, the only one I can think of is, as others suggested, Grey Flannel, but only very distantly so. Complex has none of the chemical green-ness of Grey flannel, and smells more natural (from some deep obscure forest, that is).

In any case, I'll see if I can resist for the whole drydown, but this is a bold, interesting thing that may make it on my to-buy list. Now, this was a dab - so I can hardly imagine what a spray would be.

cacio

Sounds seriously challenging. I definitely have to try it!
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post #14 of 40
5/30/11 at 7:10am
Update on the drydown. After 4 hrs, Complex is much more well behaved. It's a bitter, linear green leather, still strong, but more normal and perhaps no match for, say, Bandit. Still good, though. After a whole night sleep in DC's 30C+ weather, I only get the faintest whiff of some woody amber, but gone is the vegetable bitterness. So, dear scent, there's hope - if one stays outside for 10 hrs in a Gulf country, perhaps it'll go away ...

But anyway, what an opening! It makes nasomatto feel demure.

I will try the other two tonight (adventurous and energizer), though I'm sure they're none of the sort.

cacio
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post #15 of 40
5/30/11 at 8:05am
Not very appealing IMO.
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post #16 of 40
1/9/12 at 8:52pm
Now that time has passed, any altered opinions?

Anyone else tried this?
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post #17 of 40
1/10/12 at 1:53am
it takes guts to really appreciate this composition, but if you're into weird, extremely bitter green/animalic leather fragrances you should give this at least a try.

Advice: If you decide to approach this composition be aware that you won't be able to smell anything else for hours and hours.

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post #18 of 40
1/10/12 at 2:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

it takes guts to really appreciate this composition, but if you're into weird, extremely bitter green/animalic leather fragrances you should give this at least a try.

Advice: If you decide to approach this composition be aware that you won't be able to smell anything else for hours and hours.


Sounds like I have to try this one as well...
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post #19 of 40
1/10/12 at 2:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

Sounds like I have to try this one as well...

The first time I tested Complex I was visiting a niche store in my area. I asked the SA to spray some on a paper strip and she said: "No problem but just right after I sprayed it, can you please go outside to smell it?"...no kidding.

She was obviously over the top and a bit rude but, hey...this stuff is REALLY loud.

That being said, I gave Complex a positive rating being one of the very few (if not the only one) fragrances from Boadicea that is worth of some attention...
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post #20 of 40
1/10/12 at 2:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

The first time I tested Complex I was visiting a niche store in my area. I asked the SA to spray some on a paper strip and she said: "No problem but just right after I sprayed it, can you please go outside to smell it?"...no kidding.

She was obviously over the top and a bit rude but, hey...this stuff is REALLY loud.

That being said, I gave Complex a positive rating being one of the very few (if not the only one) fragrances from Boadicea that is worth of some attention...

Well, I'm glad one or two Boadicea entries have been put in the spotlight as there are TOO MANY of them! I tried getting hold of some samples, when they were first launched, but there were some availability issues. By the time, this had been sorted out, the collection had increased by at least 50%! Based on that and all the negativity going around (which I'm a little bit responsible for), I simply gave up on this house.

I really can't see myself properly sampling all the Boadiceas releases ever...
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post #21 of 40
1/10/12 at 2:53am
I agree with what most people have already posted. Tried this a few months ago instore, didnt bother with paper testers, straight on the wrist... I regretted it instantly. I have been on a hunt for an animalice violet leather, Cuir Amethyste was lovely, but it smelt like those small candies Refreshers taste... Anyway. Complex wasn't leather on me either really, well, it was, but it was a scraggy sh*t bit of leather with some holes in it which was covered by rooty vegetables and earth, it's like throwing your head into someones allotment and forcing the mud up your nostrils. It's painful. But I don't find it particularly wierd, just a bitter green leather done really badly.
And as for the bottles, they look lovely from a distance, up close, not so much. Its a shame because I would love to love one of their scents, but as Complex is probably their most interesting, and that's not great, there's not much hope.
Has anyone tried their Oud range? Similar story, I got wafted a sheet under my nose from an SA, bittery green with glue stick style oud, not good Boadicea not good...
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post #22 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

it takes guts to really appreciate this composition, but if you're into weird, extremely bitter green/animalic leather fragrances you should give this at least a try.

Advice: If you decide to approach this composition be aware that you won't be able to smell anything else for hours and hours.


This sounds exactly like something you and I would enjoy.

Where is the shortcoming ? What prevented from getting on your to-buy list?
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post #23 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

This sounds exactly like something you and I would enjoy.

Where is the shortcoming ? What prevented from getting on your to-buy list?

It's way too much ...believe it or not...unwearable.

...this doesn't mean I won't probably end up buying it, but right now it's definitely not among my priorities...
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post #24 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:17am
I bet it's not as bad as people make it out to be. People think M/Mink is so challenging, bitter, dirty, rancid, etc - it's anything but. Man, some people really need to put their nose on some (er, most!) of the naturals available out there. That experience will redefine dirty, bitter, etc!
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post #25 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

I bet it's not as bad as people make it out to be. People think M/Mink is so challenging, bitter, dirty, rancid, etc - it's anything but. Man, some people really need to put their nose on some (er, most!) of the naturals available out there. That experience will redefine dirty, bitter, etc!

try it and see...

of course after testing it you can still report back saying that this is not challenging or bitter or animalic or whatever, but then I'll seriously wonder how much we have to push to the limit a composition in order to be properly considered "challenging". That being said, Complex is anything but dirty IMO. I would probably define it as "disturbing-fascinating ", or if you prefer...simply "interesting".

...personally I don't like M/Mink because of the beeswax...I HATE honey...
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post #26 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

It's way too much ...believe it or not...unwearable.

Ohh my goodness. Can it be? Ive got to try this now lol.
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post #27 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:49am
Well, I'm going to have to sample this sometime soon. I respect your opinion a lot Alfarom.
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post #28 of 40
1/10/12 at 4:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

Well, I'm going to have to sample this sometime soon. I respect your opinion a lot Alfarom.

Let us know, I'm genuinely curious. I find it intriguing but, honestly, unwearable...
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post #29 of 40
1/10/12 at 5:21am
I think I'm going to sample this straight after work!
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post #30 of 40
1/10/12 at 6:25am
I agree with alfarom and others here. Complex is simply too loud, rough, and concentrated for proper wearing. Even for Arabian spraying standards. It is on my to-buy list, but for the interest of the note, not because I'm planning to wear it. But it is not disgusting. M/Mink was cited: M/Mink is disgusting, with its metallic bilge; Complex is not, but it is much, much stronger than M/Mink.

cacio
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post #31 of 40
1/10/12 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

I think I'm going to sample this straight after work!

Yes after work, you wouldn't want to smell like Complex at work.
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post #32 of 40
1/10/12 at 2:57pm
Love this one, but I love INTRICATE (basically the Oud line's version of Complex) even more. It's insanely overpriced and ridiculously offensive even hours after application, but damn it rules.
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post #33 of 40
1/10/12 at 3:10pm
Guys, either my skin chemistry is playing games with me or there was something wrong with the bottle I sampled from...

I didn't find it in anyway offensive, left-field or challenging. Unlike most of you, I detected plenty of sweetness in the composition, with a subtle spiciness peering through. I could also detect the violets from time to time. But it's certainly not worth the money as it's both linear and one-dimensional (so much for the name, eh?).

I don't know about anyone else but, beyond the birch tar assault (which wasn't that hardcore) it smells like a stronger version of Gucci Envy for Men (albeit less spicy). Furthermore, while it has good longevity, it's not really the sillage monster that I was led to believe. There's sillage alright but it's not overwhelming or oppressive.

Contrary to what's been said, it's not particularly difficult to wear but it's not that stimulating or sensual either.
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post #34 of 40
1/10/12 at 3:36pm
That's really funny how perception works. To me this is definitely among the most bitter fragrances I've ever encountered...It has a piercing combo of birch and bitter green notes that as it hits my nostrils, my nose is gone for hours...One dimensional? that's probably true...Sweet? Not really no.
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post #35 of 40
1/10/12 at 3:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

That's really funny how perception works. To me this is definitely among the most bitter fragrances I've ever encountered...It has a piercing combo of birch and bitter green notes that as it hits my nostrils, my nose is gone for hours...One dimensional? that's probably true...Sweet? Not really no.

Yeah, perception is a funny thing. Maybe it's because I'm oozing with sweetness from the inside. I just can't help it! :-P

But Complex is certainly no Lonestar Memories meets Silences, for example, from what I smelt...
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post #36 of 40
1/10/12 at 3:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebor View Post

Yeah, perception is a funny thing. Maybe it's because I'm oozing with sweetness from the inside.

LOL

Quote:
But Complex is certainly no Lonestar Memories meets Silences, for example, from what I smelt...

Paradoxically, I get more sweetness out of Lonestar (amber?). I really didn't get any sweetness out of Complex, but now I'm intrigued to re-test it...

Never tried Silences (you mean the Jacomo?)
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post #37 of 40
1/10/12 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

Paradoxically, I get more sweetness out of Lonestar (amber?). I really didn't get any sweetness out of Complex, but now I'm intrigued to re-test it...

Never tried Silcences (you mean the Jacomo?)

Okay, well, those fragrances were the first ones that came to mind in a blasé manner. Maybe I should have mentioned one of the birch-laden Santa Maria Novella's instead. Yeah, the Jacomo it is! Whenever someone mentioned 'harsh' and 'green' together, galbanum always sprang to mind and Silences has plenty of that.
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post #38 of 40
1/10/12 at 8:04pm
Funny how perceptions vary. Silences, which I like, has certainly plenty of green, but to my nose it remains fresh and light - there's none of the poisonous herbal, forest bitterness of Complex. As for low sillage, again, perhaps there are people anosmic to the towering foghorn at the core of Complex (or perhaps, the sense of smell was simply knocked off on first contact).

cacio
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post #39 of 40
1/11/12 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Silences, which I like, has certainly plenty of green, but to my nose it remains fresh and light.

Well, my experience of Silences only extends to the vintage PDT and, from my experience, it takes 15-20 minutes to simmer down. Which concentrations have you tried?
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post #40 of 40
1/11/12 at 10:30am
I bought an EdT (I believe, certainly not P) a couple of months ago, so that could certainly explain the lighter and fresher character of the lower concentration.

cacio
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