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Zirh Ikon appreciation thread

post #1 of 20
9/14/11 at 3:36pm
Thread Starter 
Zirh Ikon is the first wearable fragrance I have found for under twenty bucks for 100ml. I was really surprised when I smelled it -- modern and yet classic. The incense is not that noticeable to me; rather the warm spices, woods, and patchouli are the most noticeable. The patchouli is dosed perfectly -- bold yet still smooth and very balanced. Good sillage and longevity. It's not super unique, but it is definitely not that common either. The sweetness is moderate, certainly not syrupy, but not harsh or particularly dry either. The davana flower is an excellent subtle touch, and certainly leaves Ikon devoid of feminine blush.

I got my bottle for $15. It strikes me as the type of "cheap classic" that might go discontinued at some point, so I'll likely be getting a backup bottle at some point.
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post #2 of 20
9/14/11 at 4:21pm
It's the kind of frag I seem to have been gravitating to over the last year+, though I'm not sure if this is one of my favorites, simply due to my note combination preferences. These kinds of frags "settle in" very nicely, have enough note contrast, naturalness (without the overpowering niche "naturalness"), and are well balanced. I need to wear Ikon soon, since I haven't in quite a while, and report back if my opinion has changed.
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post #3 of 20
9/14/11 at 5:17pm
The price seems about right for this product IMO.
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post #4 of 20
9/14/11 at 5:25pm
Thread Starter 
It was a sample of Ikon from Bigsly that I first smelled!

I think it smells much, much more expensive than it is. I've smelled numerous more expensive frags that smelled cheap and synthetic in comparison.
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post #5 of 20
9/14/11 at 6:54pm
I did an ankle sampling about an hour ago. I think the reason I haven't found it as compelling as some other frags is that it has a creamy quality, and the note separation is less than I'd like it to be.
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post #6 of 20
9/15/11 at 4:28am
Didn't care for it much.
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post #7 of 20
9/15/11 at 4:56am
Ikon is a really good scent, but longevity, at least on my skin, is really really poor. Hasn't it been for that, ikon would have been one of my favourites. i have it, but i don't care about using it for that reason...
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post #8 of 20
9/15/11 at 5:16am
Poor longevity on my skin,moreover,I do not appreciate the fragrance either.
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post #9 of 20
9/15/11 at 6:35am
It is a great one, I own it and enjoy it, but I find it difficult to wear so often. Maybe, because I live in Florida, and it is so humid.. or maybe because I'm just not a big incense fan. Regardless of what holds me back from wearing it, I can still appreciate it. I think it's one of those "niche" cheapies. Niche, in terms of quality. It lacks nothing that could hold it back. Projects nicely, lasts long, and feels very substantial and well made. Slap an Amouage tag on this and switch its bottle, and I GUARANTEE it would be a big hit here on BN, and throughout the rest of the community. Since niche seems to be the current fad.. Personally, I would rather pay the 8 bucks for 2.5 oz of this, and let others think I am wearing something worth far more than its price tag.

+1 to this thread, and congrats on finding this treasure.
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post #10 of 20
9/15/11 at 11:33am
It was just okay to me, and I wish I could have enjoyed it more. The longevity was just not up to snuff. It had a nice presentation but I didn't find it very versatile and since it faded within 4hrs, I always found myself wishing I had worn Rive Gauche or Platinum Egoiste instead. Enjoy it for the quality-to-price ratio but don't expect a standout performance. I'd give this a 6/10.
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post #11 of 20
9/15/11 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
I don't generally like incense fragrances, and this is no exception, since I don't detect much incense in Ikon, if any.

A quick note: I wore Rive Gauche pH yesterday and it doesn't bear much relation to Ikon -- apples to oranges imo. RG is very incensey and mossy, while Ikon is predominantly spice, wood and patchouli.

Also, I find longevity average (5-6 hours), not poor.
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post #12 of 20
9/15/11 at 2:24pm
Ikon eventually develops into a Cuba Red type of base (I realized yesterday). Ikon is more natural smelling and the "creamy" opening persists, so it's not identical, though it is quite similar after several hours.
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post #13 of 20
9/15/11 at 4:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyBars View Post

I don't generally like incense fragrances, and this is no exception, since I don't detect much incense in Ikon, if any.

A quick note: I wore Rive Gauche pH yesterday and it doesn't bear much relation to Ikon -- apples to oranges imo. RG is very incensey and mossy, while Ikon is predominantly spice, wood and patchouli.

Also, I find longevity average (5-6 hours), not poor.

Wow.. I get about 75% incense, and 25% cinnamon and cloves.
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post #14 of 20
9/15/11 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

Wow.. I get about 75% incense, and 25% cinnamon and cloves.

Yeah I get the same vibe as my nose is very sensitive to incense. Rive Gauche is about as far away from incense as cool water is.
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post #15 of 20
2/23/13 at 1:20am
I happen to enjoy Ikon, but as I have said before, in this thread, longevity (on me) is very very poor. Numerous other scent as well. My skin seems to eat scents.
I really want to try to wear Ikon on a more regulary basis because I really appreciate its special, sort of; discrete but very clear incense-note. Normally I use 4-5 sprays and one on clothes, but still very little longevity...
So I have a simple question to those of you who wear Ikon on a regular basis::
How many sprays "will do it"? My guess is it will be over 4....
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post #16 of 20
2/23/13 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by anders View Post

I happen to enjoy Ikon, but as I have said before, in this thread, longevity (on me) is very very poor. Numerous other scent as well. My skin seems to eat scents.
I really want to try to wear Ikon on a more regulary basis because I really appreciate its special, sort of; discrete but very clear incense-note. Normally I use 4-5 sprays and one on clothes, but still very little longevity...
So I have a simple question to those of you who wear Ikon on a regular basis::
How many sprays "will do it"? My guess is it will be over 4....

Yeah this stuff is not that potent -- or perhaps the sprayer is just a bit shy. I'll do 6 to last all day, 8-10 to cut through the crowd at a club.
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post #17 of 20
2/23/13 at 10:47am
After discovering Ikon a couple years ago, I finally got around to buying a bottle a few months back. Bargain, as I got my 4.2 oz bottle for about $16 at a local Marshall's. And I agree with The Cologneist: This is primarily an incense-based scent and it lasts very well on my skin. I don't think it has tons of depth and character (not compared to, say, a Guerlain), but really now, Zirh specializes in men's skin care and toiletries, I would gather they would take an approach similar to Art of Shaving and formulate their scents to be somewhat predictable in a way. I like the stuff as a day-to-day scent and appreciate the green-ness I get mixed in the incense in the drydown. 4 or 5 sprays last all day on me.

Calling Zirh Ikon a "value leader" seems to fit, but better suited for a household product. I'd rather say it delivers a lot of "bang for the buck".
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post #18 of 20
2/23/13 at 11:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Cologneist View Post

It is a great one, I own it and enjoy it, but I find it difficult to wear so often. Maybe, because I live in Florida, and it is so humid.. or maybe because I'm just not a big incense fan.

The weather is a big part of why you may find it difficult to wear.

I bought Ikon in the summer and I hated it. I tried it again in winter and really enjoyed it. Ikon is too heavy and dark for summer. I should add that summer where I live is temps in the 70s and 80s, which isn't even all that hot.

I also think Corduroy is an under-appreciated gem. It's one of my favorites. I enjoy Ikon, but I LOVE corduroy. Well, I love the smell of Corduroy. The bottle sucks. The bottle for Ikon, on the other hand, is awesome.
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post #19 of 20
2/23/13 at 1:25pm
Thread Starter 
Agree, Ikon has a great bottle. I love magnetic caps and and that all-black fat sprayer is really nice.

I agree Ikon is sort of incensey, but not in the "thick" way I find it in most other incensey frags. I'm pretty sure that's because there are hardly any natural ingredients -- so the structure is somewhat spare. Which for me actually works. But it certainly doesn't smell classy or expensive. I think there is a bunch of vetiver in this under the surface, and lots of patchouli, and certainly musk.
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post #20 of 20
2/23/13 at 8:03pm
I hated it. I hated it so much that I donated it to the salvation army because I didn't want anything like it to be in my collection.
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