Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Photosource: Scent Studio (own copyright)

The anticipation to try Baccarat Rouge 540 has been long and intense. Reviews of this fragrance have seduced and promised an olfactory experience like no other.

Now that we are here, I am not disappointed. I am absolutely enamoured, mesmerised and in love with Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian.

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Intense, but not overbearing; deep, yet not cloying; sweet, yet delicately so. BR540 is a smooth, soft and sensual fragrance.

It has an obvious note of saffron and a surprising fresh opening, but not quite like that of a citrus, but not like that of fir resin either, though it is one of the base notes. This fragrance is what I always wanted Santal Carmin from Atelier Cologne to be.

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An hour in after oxidation, BR540 transforms into a more masculine fragrance on my skin giving it an edge full of character. The ambergris gives a sweet undertone without being too overpowering or animalic.

Six hours on my skin and BR540 has become more smokey, this fragrance is ever evolving and it only becomes more and more lovable over time.

That is after first wear...

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I purchased a sample some time ago and just after one wear, I knew I had to have this fragrance in my collection. As soon as I had my own BR540 in hand, I wore it the same day. Creamy opening, smells like gold (for lack of better description) we were reunited. 

However, an hour passed and suddenly I could not smell it anymore. It didn't happen with the sample that I had that lasted on me all day.

I wore it once again some days later and the same happened, I could not smell my gold after just one hour. Fortunately, all my colleagues could, but what an absolute devastation! I read up on it and some do not get the same satisfaction from Baccarat Rouge 540 as others, because of ambroxan 'blindness'.

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So let's talk. Is Baccarat Rouge 540 worth all the praise? If you have the money to blow, yes, if you don't, no. I might have been one of the latter. Baccarat is masterly blended, it is smooth, pleasant and gorgeous, but is it worth it's price tag? I honestly do not think so.

Being a novice in the world of fragrances, I was charmed into wanting BR540. If I found this fragrance on Fragrantica by chance and read about the composition, I wouldn't give it a second thought, but weeks into the fragrance community and my curiosity knew no bounds.

To me Baccarat represents my sincere interest in olfactory experiences and I feel some type of pride in having this fragrance in my collection. However, I would not spend so much on a perfume again any time soon. For the fraction of the price I could get a more exciting and unique fragrance with far better longevity. Is it BR540's fault that our chemistry doesn't work? No, but it's the last time I go with the stream and let stream take me away. After some thought, I sincerely do not have any regrets. Baccarat fits into my collection snuggly and I see it as a little price among my favourites. 

Before I go, an honorable mention is Santal Carmin and Memoirs of A Trespasser by Imaginary Authors as a perfect layering option to give Baccarat Rouge 540 an even richer base and a better longevity if you are anosmic to ambroxan like me.

Tonight, this holly Christmas Eve, I will be smelling like gold to the satisfaction of my dear family.

Merry Christmas everyone! <3

xo Julia

Broken Theories by Kerosene

Photosource: The Perfumery Barcelona

What initially opens with a blast of green notes instantly turns into a bonfire gone cold. Broken Theories smells like waking up early on a summer morning in a cabin. You walk outside while everyone else is still asleep after a night at the bonfire, the fire has gone out, but the morning dew reawakens the smell of burning wood just slightly. 

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Kerosene fragrances often have a dark element that evokes memories or visions of fire or smoke, very fitting to the house' name. Broken Theories isn't as strong as Blackmail though, but it doesn't have a sweet undertone either making it more realistic. After dry down, the fragrance remains much the same on paper, but vanilla peaks through and the initial scent of bonfire turns into that of incense. 

The story of Broken Theories on my skin is different, however. After dry down, even five hours in, the blend of tobacco, incense and oud imitates the most realistic scent of smoke. The fragrance does not change like it did on paper, during the day I got whiffs of smelling like a bonfire, Broken Theories imitates the smell of how clothes smell after sitting next to a fire impeccably.

The realistic imitation and lack of any other note to break that vision make Broken Theories a more quirky experience rather than a wearable fragrance, that is on my skin at least.

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I adore Kerosene and John Peggs creations, but Broken Theories isn't one of my favourite, the fragrance reminds me far too much of Blackmail by Kerosene, which despite its stronger character was much more wearable as a fragrance.

Poison by Dior

Photosource: Atmospheric Predecessor

Poison by Dior is one of the fragrances I remember seeing in stores back when I started wearing perfumes. Back then I opted for Cacharel Amor Amor (that one is a story of it's own), but Dior was far too expensive for me to even reach for and just get to know it.

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Since reviewing fragrances other than my own, I have become very curious with the classics, which is how I got here, to review Poison.

Poison opens with a light rose on paper, a very floral fragrance. On my skin, the scent mixes with my chemistry into a much more powdery scent.

It is very floral, a powdery tuberose.

Poison is very difficult for me to describe in notes, all I am capable of, is describing it as a rosy floral, sweet, with bitter undertones like sticking your nose into a flower and smelling the pollen. I would not at all call it fruity, my nose does not pick up either plum or wild berries. Poison is dense with flowers, like standing in a flower shop specifically in winter where there are mostly roses and not spring florals.

Maybe I went too far with the amount I put on, because the fragrance is headache inducing, but I don't think it's the case.

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Poison by Dior is a classic since 1985, but my nose interpretes this fragrance as very soapy, like a bar of Dove soap, which gives it a cheap quality.

A little joke aside, but to all my Polish followers sing with me "Aaaa mydełko Fa!". 

The scent is so pungent that I have a lump of odor in my throat. Someone on Fragrantica called Poison an "80s nightmare in a bottle", a nightmare it is not, but it's not a dream I would like to revisit any time soon.

To be frank, I am quite puzzled by this fragrance. Why was this ever a classic? Care to share a comment below?

I will never not be biased when it comes to floral fragrances, especially rose.

I do not like them, unless another olfactory family is the main accord, but I think I am capable of appreciating them nonetheless when exploring a fragrance.

However, Poison by Dior simply isn't the one for me, at least my curiosity has been satiated!

Follow by Kerosene

Photosource: Carousell

Close your eyes and imagine someone pouring you a glass of Kahlua liquor.

That is exactly how Follow by Kerosene smells.

The most realistic coffee fragrance ever. When the initial alcoholic blast evaporates, Follow reveals the scent of freshly ground coffee, dark roasted. Further from the skin, the fragrance is sweeter and with hints of cardamom, whereas close to the skin, Follow is like sticking your nose into a bag of coffee beans.

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Being an avid lover of both coffee and fragrances, the two worlds collide and intertwine in the magical scent that is Follow.

On paper, just as on skin, the alcohol at the beginning is not like that of ethanol, which is harsh on the nose, but a sweet liquor. It is very seductive and enticing.

After dry down, Follow smells like dark chocolate covered coffee beans. There is a very slight bitterness close to the skin, almost like cigarette buds, but it is not at all unpleasant.

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Follow smells like how I expected Cardamom Coffee by Lush to smell like, however, Cardamom Coffee was just a pure cardamom fragrance, which I do not like. Follow is a pure coffee fragrance, but with lingering undertones of spice and sweetness.

The balance of spice, coffee and sweetness in Follow is perfect. It is definitely a heavier fragrance, and it was slightly cloying just before the dry down, but it is perfect for this season, for autumn and winter.

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I am really on the fence whether I should purchase this fragrance. It is beautiful, masterful, absolutely delicious, but is it just too realistic for its own good? I'm still not sure...

Santal Carmin by Atelier Cologne

Photosource: Scent Studio (own copyright)

Santal Carmin is a tempting, deep saffron fragrance by the house of Atelier Cologne. The fragrance is gorgeously smooth, soft, yet with a strong character.

Though I have had this fragrance in my collection for some time, I haven't worn it a whole lot. Santal Carmin is everything I want it to be, but something is amiss.

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On paper, Santal Carmin opens with an uplifting bergamot and lime, the fragrance is absolutely delicious slowly inviting in saffron and becoming deep, enticing and slightly leathery. However, on skin, the fragrance has a different story.

Santal Carmin opens with a stronger, more spearing citrus that quickly disappears unlike on paper, where it lingers and remains throughout the dry down time. 

Saffron is definitely dominant with sandalwood carrying the fragrance along with guaiac wood and a sweet undertone of musk. Though saffron is the main accord, the fragrance remains warm and inviting without being too harsh on the nose or overpowering.

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So how come I don't wear it so much? Honestly, I do not know. It is as if every time I do, I do not feel like it matches my mood. I love it in theory, deep, enticing, rich and smooth Santal Carmin is difficult not to love, but every time I am about to douse myself in it, it becomes my second choice and I opt for something else.
The fragrance is perhaps just too cloying for me.

Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

Photosource: Elena Maxwell, Fragrantica

Gris Clair was sent to me by Lulua along with my order. I have seen Serge Lutens fragrances in the community, but I had never seen them in stores, so I was pleasantly surprised to be able to try something from this house.

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A strong aromatic scent of lavender spread in my room at first spray. Gris Clair is very herbal and instantly reminded me of Telegrama by Imaginary Authors. The fragrance is so clean at first that it reminded me more of an air refresher, but not in a bad way. However, though still very aromatic on paper, Gris Clair instantly transformed into a warm fragrance on my skin. An absolutely delicious surprise!

Something about this fragrance reminds me of camping when I was just about six or seven years old. It smells like sitting inside the caravan in the middle of the woods with my sister and parents in the hot Polish summer, but while it is raining outside. 

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Gris Clair is very different from any of the fragrances I have tried lately, a breath of fresh air. Lavender is barely present after dry down, but nonetheless detectable. The fragrance has an aromatic note other than lavender that I cannot pinpoint. Tonka and amber are what makes this fragrance so warm and inviting. I am not sure about incense or iris, they do not seem to appear at any point, neither after oxidation. 

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After consideration, Gris Clair smells like entering a luxury decor shop, fresh lavender potpourri, linen, clean notes, a sweet scented candle burning in the corner, nothing over the top. Elegant.
I really adore Gris Clair, a perfect stepping stone into the fragrance house of Serge Lutens, but my first impression is also that it isn't as potent as I like my fragrances to be. The longevity was about one hour, now I can only smell it close to my skin.

The scent is divine though and I would love to add this to my collection.

Olympéa by Paco Rabanne

Photosource: Paco Rabanne

When it comes to classic fragrances, like Olympéa by Paco Rabanne for instance, I have learned to tread carefully. These fragrances have become classics or favourites for a reason, but my knowledge of fragrances is yet to be more evolved, especially in the realm of their history.

Olympéa was one of the fragrances that caught my eye when rummaging the perfume departments and the composition sparked my initial interest. After joining the fragrance community, I saw Olympéa reviewed and raved about by many, so I had to try it for myself.

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What caught me off guard, was an initial opening note of licorice on my skin, a note that isn't on 'the menu' according to Fragrantica. However, on paper, Olympéa is a much lighter, sweeter and more neutral fragrance. The opening note on paper is actually very undetermined, it is neither citrus nor vanilla, but it is sweet and fresh.

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Personally, Olympéa is a classic example of what separates niche fragrances from the more mainstream. From the experience I have gathered as of now, I find that niche fragrances have distinct, individual notes blended together yet still being definable in their own right, whereas mainstream fragrances are more blended, fused, and difficult to separate into specific notes. My nose is not yet trained enough to smell individual notes in fragrances like Olympéa, for instance, I do not smell vanilla per se, I rather smell something sweet. Rather than jasmine, the fragrance gives a slight impression of being floral.

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On paper, the fragrance has a resemblance to the sweetness of bubble gum after dry down. It performs much more mature on my skin, where ambergris is quite dominant. 

Hours after oxidation, Olympéa is classic, elegant and sweet. Very suitable for any occasion. I understand the admiration of Olympéa, but for me it is far too simple. As far as I know, Paco Rabanne does not cater to a niche audience, so it's simplicity yet elegance is to please most noses.

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Olympéa is a light floral amber to my nose, I do not get any ginger, mandarin, sandalwood or salt, which I would have loved to give it a fresher or sharper character. It is absolutely timeless and elegant, but to my knowledge it has also been reformulated? How does it compare to 'the old' Olympéa?

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Olympéa is wonderful, on paper that is. It is fresher, cleaner and lighter. On my skin, it becomes quite generic. This fragrance is perfectly blended, it is nice, but it is not the type of fragrance I wear or would like in my collection.

Whispered Myths by Imaginary Authors

Photosource: Imaginary Authors

What a fragrance! Not at all what I expected. Imaginary Authors never cease to amaze me, but this time I don't know whether I'm in over my head.

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Whispered Myths opens with a strong note of cantaloupe promising something sweet, but the fragrance is very resinous and leaves me speechless. This is a strong and oud heavy fragrance! I don't think it will please many Western noses, like my own, I think this might be too Middle Eastern for most. Oud is very appreciated in the East and the use of real, natural Cambodian oud in Whispered Myths might be too intimidating for some. This fragrance has me realising that my nose is not ready for real oud!

I am an avid and biased lover of the house of Imaginary Authors, but this one is simply too heavy for me. Though not completely unwearable like some reviewers say on Fragrantica, this is a very unique fragrance that won't please the masses, which in itself makes it thee fragrance for someone who can carry an oud like this.

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After dry down, Whispered Myths changes into a more nautical fragrance on my skin hinting at the imagined note of a salvaged shipwreck. A slight note of salt, wet wood and ambrette is what this fragrances is made of.

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It isn't even a case of the fragrance leaning too masculine, resinous heavy Whispered Myths is just too linear for me to be pleasant to wear. I need a slightly fresher element, maybe a sweet undertone or an herbal kick to lift it's character, because it almost becomes peppery by being so oud heavy. I don't know whether this is the correct term, but it is very monotone in its nature.

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A couple of hours' wear leaves Whispered Myths unchanged on my skin. On paper, the fragrance is much lighter with a fresh note of not too sweet cantaloupe, a nice twist that I would have loved on my skin.

Though still loving Imaginary Authors to bits, Whispered Myths won't become a part of my collection anytime soon, but I am absolutely in awe of their use of real oud.

Lignum Vitae by BeauFort London

Photosource: Bloom Perfumery

BeauFort London entices me with its noir design and nautical fragrance compositions. My first experience with this niche fragrance house was Coeur de Noir, a dark fragrance, a burning shipwreck in a bottle.

To my surprise, Lignum Vitae has a fresh citrus opening that does not evoke images of the sea. But being an avid lover of sweet gourmand citruses, Lignum Vitae is just right up my alley. 

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Unlike Davana & Vanille Bourbon by 100Bon, Unknown Pleasures by Kerosene and Falling Into the Sea by Imaginary Authors, Lignum Vitae has a charismatic masculine middle note that makes it stand out.

In contrast to the inviting fresh opening note, a slight leather undertone keeps the fragrance from leaning too feminine, balancing perfectly on the edge of unisex.
Wearing this fragrance, I experienced that female noses found this scent more masculine on me, whereas male noses said it smelled very feminine.

The dry down revealed a sweet lemon gummy bear with herbal notes of aromatic greens and slight notes of salt and marine, absolutely delicious.

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On paper, Lignum Vitae remains lighter, whereas it deepens and reveals a wonderful concoction of notes on my skin. It is a perfect fragrance for spring, but it is surprisingly fitting autumn and winter too.

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My only qualm with this fragrance is that it lacks the BeauFort London edge, a spearing note that evokes an image of the rough sea. The slight marine undertone is too vague and fades among the powerful citruses and sweet vanilla. I would love to add Lignum Vitae to my collection, but I find myself at a loss of reason when I already have Unknown Pleasures, Davana & Vanille Bourbon and Remarkable People, all wonderful and different fresh cistruses.