A fresh top note is followed by a lavender that is never outdated and complimented by a woody amber drydown. It is a touch sharp initially to then settle down nicely. Average projection and four...
I got two blind buys on the same day. Annick Goutal Mon Parfum Cherie par Camille reinforces the blind buy. If I were to mistake my lucky randomness for logic I would never have to smell another...
Fourreau Noir makes me consider the possibilities of copying and repetition. Part of a series, variation on a theme? Uninventive, deliberate, derivative? ...
At first sniff I get cumin quite strong and maybe some nutmeg trying to cover up . . . no other way to say it, an awful stench of burning onions with some other odd camphor. Sounds strange and...
I had a long perfectly civil acquaintanceship with Duc de Vervins long before I elected to purchase a bottle. I tried it several times at Bergdorf's and passed on it thinking it is too strong;...
Would love to hear some opinions on this. It's always interesting to see how non-professional perfumers' compositions compare to those more classically trained.
Found R'Oud Elements by Kerosene on Etsy.com for $75 and the following description
'An edp with notes of Oud, Sandalwood, Amber, Vanilla, Lavender, Iris and Orange Bitters.
R'oud Elements has a smoldering oud opening that will tingle your nose hairs, then after about twenty minutes, settles down to a velvety oud and lightly spicy woody scent. Masculine and warm.
The 100ml bottle is painted by myself with automotive grade paint and clearcoat.'
Congrats to Kerosene for actually getting a scent out there. I know a lot of people talk about it and dream about it and it's a huge challenge to actually compose one.
I'm really curious if he used any pre-made bases or pre-made fragrance oils (these are always accords, such as "green tea" or "black rum".. I'm assuming he used a synth oud base such as Givaudan's Black Agar base), or if he did it the hardcore way and actually composed it entirely of hand chosen single aroma chemicals.
Im not into marketing so Im really just going to let the people that try the fragrance be the voice for it. Like all scents, itll either be liked or not. Of the wood notes, theres about 10 of them, it just so happens that theres a higher concentration of oud notes in the formula, thus the reason for the name. I really think this is middle ground for an oud-based fragrance. There is a blend of pure oud oil and some synthetic oud. It took a while to get the combination right and I also wanted to keep the price reasonable at the same time. As most people are aware that oud is really expensive stuff. And the bottle alone takes a bit of time. But I wanted it to be professional looking. And if this kicks off, customer service will be priority #1.
Personally, Ive never been attracted to really bombastic scents, so I hope the formula is strong enough for most people. Depending on the feedback, I just may need to amp it up. But its really hard to judge longevity when its freezing outside and everyones skin is dry as a bone here.
I also have about six scents that are in serious works. Dont know when theyll be ready though, but please stay tuned.
Hi, Kerosene. Are there any fragrances that inspired your construction of R'oud Elements?
Good question. Actually, like with my writing (I write mostly short stories), they seem to be inspired off real life events, but I actually don’t read a ton. I try not to get influences if possible, but obviously we are always influenced by things unknowingly. With scents, I have an idea on a blend that would work nice. Kinda like with cooking and I build off a couple of ingredients. I cook using a lot of spices, so I think that plays a large role in the creative process. Also, mood and climate is helping dictate some direction. If it’s cold outside, I naturally gravitate toward warm notes, ect.
My goal is that each fragrance will stand on their own and hopefully not remind you of something you’ve worn before.
Don’t know if I answered your question….I can sometimes just ramble randomly.
Here's a first impression video from another fellow basenotes member Frunkinator. I'm liking what I'm hearing a cross between Creed, Bond No.9, and Thierry Mugler.
I am not at all good at describing scents but I get something sweet at the beginning that goes away fairly quickly. I am not sure what the note is at the beginning, I recognize it but I can't figure out what it is. Then I get a great deal of a sweet oud mixed with some other woods, maybe come vetiver but the oud is dominant. Not an animalic oud but a sweet oud. Does not really remind me of anything I have smelled before, definitely a masculine scent and good for the winter. Besides the change that comes for me at the beginning I don't get much of a change as time progresses. Unlike the video review above, I don't get any kind of clean laundry vibe and maybe only a hint of musk. Mostly I get various woods mixed with oud with a touch of sweetness that I simply can't put mu finger on.
I put this on about 8 hour ago and it is still alive on my skin. I look forward to reading other reviews of this because, to be honest, I am lame at describing scents and notes. I can say that I love this and it is unique for me as it does not remind me of anything else I have sampled. Yes, I am considering a buy in this. A great one IMHO and I hope more people sample this one.
Wanna sample it? I really think this scent is, "oud for those that dont like oud" ! I know, it makes no sense but does.
I'd love to try it! If it's not oud heavy there's a fair chance I could like it given the other notes, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bottle if that's the case. I'm pretty sure I lose a few brain cells every time I smell a Montale Aoud.
I'd love to try it! If it's not oud heavy there's a fair chance I could like it given the other notes, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bottle if that's the case. I'm pretty sure I lose a few brain cells every time I smell a Montale Aoud.
I got a sample and decided to get a bottle before I even got to the drydown. It's exactly what I was hoping, based on the description. I would also say that people above have been doing a good job of describing it. I can totally see everything people have been saying.
If I had to reduce it to a sound byte, it would be "imagine Tom Ford Orange Oud - and they actually did it right". I say that with great pause, because it's not Tom Ford - it's Kerosene. You can smell the stylistic difference, just as much as the similarity. Watch a Tom Ford video and Kerosene's video, and the difference in their styles is reflected in their scents. Where Tom Ford scents have "darkness plus money polish", this one has the dark, sweet, smoky polish of my #1 BBQ pit. Yet there is something very smooth, relaxing, and comfortable in both, and therefore I think that anybody who loves Tom Ford stuff would be wise to check this out. For my money, the non-scent aspects of buying a really nice niche debut scent are just as compelling as whatever grins one gets from buying stuff that costs so much nobody else has it.
More specifically, anybody who is considering Royal Oud or one of the Bond no.9 ouds should definitely check this out. And people who were calling the price on Royal Oud and non-glitter Swarovski out of line, may come to a different decision on this.
OK - now more about the scent. Bigsly - I'm not getting a lot of note separation, so this may not be your bag. That's not to say you can't get a lot of individual notes, but they mix like BBQ or Indian food - not your nut-encrusted pheasant and greens salad. The woods here are dark and rich - dry enough to feel woody, but never too dry. If most of what's not oud is spice and woods, I would say less spice and more woods. It's darker longer than Royal Oud, and has the desirable complexity of all the scents I've mentioned. The spice notes are not as distinct and individual as they are in Royal Oud after the oud backs off. The opacity here hangs on longer, but at a very nice level that keeps the dark orange aspect in constant focus. There is a certain submerged complexity in the Bond Swarovski Limited Edition oud that I totally dig, and you have something just as pleasing here. The oud is less intense than New York Oud, and even less than New York Amber. The style is also darker and more smoky.
But the part that just makes me love it to death is the orange bitters aspect. OH BABY. That's why I sampled, and that's why I bought it. There are moments when the orange even reminds me of TdH parfum. I tried to imagine JCE making this stuff, and the image it brought to mind was seeing him dressed in a black leather jacket and three-day-old clothes with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, sunglasses, greasy hair, hung-over, cursing and swearing, working out of the back of a repair shop somewhere off the highway in France, on a sheet of plywood on stacks of tires - looking every bit like Harry Dean Stanton, but still doing his amazing thing in an alternate life. Sorry, but I just have to own that fragrance!
The woody oud and the dark orange are like the best, old wood, stand-up bass you ever heard, with Barry White doing his "ooooooooh baaaabe" thing. The orange keeps it from ever getting dry and scratchy, and yet it has that slightly rough quality that brings Barry White's voice to mind. No shrill stuff....
Longevity - yes, it lasts, and the magic goes on for quite a while, but it still fades with time. It's like Noir de Noir in terms of longevity - actually a little better in terms of the magic moment, possibly a little worse overall (I'm at 5 hours, and it's almost a skin scent by now). You want it to keep going forever, but it can't. So? Buy another friggin' bottle with the money you just saved. And you won't need to, anyway. Everything I'm getting from it right now? One spray. Two or three, and I would have been sillaging good.
Received my sample yesterday and had a full wearing yesterday and today. There have been many great reviews of this fragrance so I'll make mine really simple and give my honest impression.
The notes that I can smell are Orange Bitters, Amber, Oud, and Woods. All the notes are very well done and none of them are overpowering and I'm a big fan of amber so I liked this right off the bat. The overall vibe is very comforting and it's like sticking your nose into a dryer sheet. It doesn't smell like one, but really gives you that relaxing feeling. On smell alone it's very good.
Having worn this in 75 degree weather it held up very well and can easily be worn in the summer. Matter of fact I think it could be worn almost any time of the year. Projection is just OK and the one area where I think it could be improved. Longevity was good and it's an easy 6 to 8 hours.
As far as quality I would compare it to the house of L'Artisan. Final thoughts are it smells great, has quality ingredients, well blended, versatile, masculine, comforting to the senses, and affordable. Great job Kerosene!
I've been quite happy with mine - I'm finding it hard to stop wearing and do my sampling and reviewing duties on other stuff. I have three Micallef that I should be smelling for a review, and all I want to wear is this stuff.
I'm so happy that your fragrance is getting a lot of love kerosene
You're an awesome guy and you have some of the sickest reviews , I highly enjoy your videos ! especially the dior homme vid where the ending had me laughing for like hours , literally.
Good job done man ! And keep uploading more videos , your humour is inspiring :P
I got my sample of this today. I gotta say, it is definitley niche quality. It's dark, rich.. something I would expect from Kerosene based on his style. The oud is without doubt present imo. I get it from the start. Although this is only my first impression, I do enjoy it, but it doesn't blow my mind. It's well done. I can say from experience that it is not easy to perfect a fragrance, allow it to transition through stages of notes and accords, to project and to last long. Everything has to be just right. 1 drop too much patchouli, or incense, or whatever your fancy could destroy your product. Hats off to Kerosene, he did an excellent job.
I got my sample of this today. I gotta say, it is definitley niche quality. It's dark, rich.. something I would expect from Kerosene based on his style. The oud is without doubt present imo. I get it from the start. Although this is only my first impression, I do enjoy it, but it doesn't blow my mind. It's well done. I can say from experience that it is not easy to perfect a fragrance, allow it to transition through stages of notes and accords, to project and to last long. Everything has to be just right. 1 drop too much patchouli, or incense, or whatever your fancy could destroy your product. Hats off to Kerosene, he did an excellent job.
I agree. It's very well done - and much better than most of the fragrances found on shelves today. I am awaiting for my bottle to arrive this week....
My first wearing was interesting. I'm not going to post a full review yet, as I want to give it a few more wearings. I'm not really getting the dark aspects others are mentioning though. I got a lot of sweetness - a sweetness similar to Reflection Man (or Le Male) in the opening. Although the sweetness faded over time, this almost camphoraceous vanillin like note did persist into the base and it gave the scent a bright rather than dark countenance to this nose.
Great longevity! I got 12+ hours of being able to smell it easily with only two sprays. I hope Kerosene does not cave in to the inevitable demands of a higher concentration, or if he does so, that he releases it as a separate fragrance or as an option ala Montale's concentrated juices.
I probably shouldn't have said anything before the full review but I couldn't refrain from posting something. The scent is definitely interesting and better than I expected!
I have been sniffing for the past hour and a half and it's definitely some different stuff. The package and bottle are awesome, Velvet pouch, shiny sparkly black bottle, very classy.
First spray is a blast of juicy powdery orange to me, with some warm incensy oud in the back and a tiny dry wood but not the synthetic wood you feel in Black XS this is nice warm dry wood.
Smells wonderful, hard to describe and almost leaves a taste in the back of your mouth when you inhale it almost like you ate some orange candy at first. The Oud sure seems familiar but I can't place it right now, of the different types I would call this more of the bandaid type, there's no barn or poo in here. The oud is way in the background and you have to be looking for it at first to smell it but it comes out more after the orange burns off some.
I might have more to share later, going to try this on some fabric also to see if I can keep that opening going longer. Glad I bought a full bottle this one is going to get a workout!
I was wearing this again yesterday and it strilked me. It reminds me of Habit Rouge EdP, only lighter and more modern. Sort of an Eau d'Habit Rouge Eau de Parfum if this makes sense.Habit Rouge EdP has an oud note so it makes sense to me.
Wore this today for the first time (thanks to a kind Basenoter who sent me a sample). I'm not ready yet for a full review but, so far, I can say this would make and HELL of a designer fragrance. Honestly, put on the bottle a designer's logo (Therry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier or whatever you want) and it will turn into a blockbuster in no time...Good job, Kerosene.
