Apple Brandy On the Rocks By Kilian

Now please, don't tell anyone, but I ordered a sample set from Skins because the money didn't stretch for a full bottle of Sweetly Known or Lamar. After I placed the order, a sneaky mail came in that a retailer had 20 percent off an already discounted perfume. That perfume was Apple Brandy. Luckily, one of the samples in my sample set was exactly that, Apple Brandy On the Rocks by Kilian. How could I not?

I snagged the full bottle and couldn't wait to try it when the sample set arrived. After all, I can always return the full bottle.

From first spray, Apple Brandy is a green and crisp apple scent. Even after dry down, the note is fresh and delicious! Very realistic and endearing. The fragrance has a wonderful richness, a depth from cardamom, but not as strong as in Sweetly Known, in this juice, the note just perfectly balances the tart apple. 

A little while later, the cardamom becomes the main note along with some discreet brandy and just a hint of pineapple sweetness without the characteristic juiciness or tropical note that pineapple usually has (or let's be honest, like it is wonderfully presented in Lamar).

Funny thing is, and it just hit me, Apple Brandy is a faint mix of Sweetly Known and Lamar! What a surprise! I got a two in one! 

Now, on second wear, a week later, I have to say that the scent is a little raunchy at first. What went wrong? Apple Brandy is still a green, crisp apple, but it is as if something has gone bad. My boyfriend came back from a run outside and when he came back, he said that our apartment smells like a sauna! And you know what? I do get it too - damp wood, imagine walking into a sauna that just has been used and is ready for the next group; sweatiness, a little musky undertone; and sour wood, the tart apple note only pushes the sauna experience with the sour resin in the wood being heated up repeatedly. At the moment, my nose cannot smell anything else. Imagine a classic sauna room build with wood on all four walls including flooring and the ceiling. 

After dry down, luckily, the sauna has gone. Mostly.

Apple Brandy has definitely been tainted by the illusion of a sauna and though I liked it at first, I am planning on returning the full bottle.

Rouge Smoking by BDK Parfums

High Expectations chapter three:
Rouge Smoking is not what I expected, doesn't sound like we are off to a good start, but hear me out.

Main accords are vanilla, sweet, powdery, amber and cherry, but from first spray, on paper, Rouge Smoking is purely sugary sweet. No cherry, no vanilla, no amber or powderiness. All I have to say is, huh. There is a cashmerean sweetness to it, very smooth, but absolutely no fruitiness or florals from violet or orange blossom, which are stated as notes.

I honestly expected more or at least some cherry, but the fragrance is an indefinable sweetness.

Nothing about Rouge Smoking alludes to anything red (red berries, juiciness or sexiness) or smokiness. Nothing. I am honestly baffled at this point. I expected to love Rouge Smoking and like Gris Charnel, but right now it is the other way around.

I waited a couple of days, if not over a week, and gave Rouge another go.

So, the same sweetness as before - not fruity, not like vanilla, but indefinable. Like a marzipan confectionery with a little bit of jam inside and a thin, thin coating of chocolate - a multum of different sweetnesses. After dry down, the scent is all but edible in its sweetness. I would actually describe it as a generic body mist from any brand. I know I just offended ninety percent of the fragrance community, but scents are very subjective and this is unfortunately my experience.

My boyfriend is no scent connoisseur, but he said I smelled like an old lady... 

I would say he represents the general public, so that's not good. 

And I have to agree, there is something Lancome-esque about Rouge Smoking. I have done everything I can do, lately, to try and do fragrances justice, because of the streak of disappointments I've had. I moisturise, I try it more often than usual, but I'm getting tired of smelling bad or boring... I am considering shelving testing new fragrances for a while and wear my own to enjoy fragrances once again.

I just got a kit of samples from Skins and might give them a go first...

My three chapters of High Expectations were, safe to say, a complete fail.

Mon Guerlain Intense by Guerlain

High Expectations chapter two:
You see, anything that Anne Lauren recommends, I have to try. This amazing girl could sell sand in the desert! When she spoke of Mon Guerlain Intense, I had to get my hands on a sample.

Come to the rescue, Laura! She was so sweet and made me a sample, in exchange I sent her Taj by Yas (and I really hope she likes it!). My expectations for Mon Guerlain Intense were high, but after doing a little swatch on the back off my hand, I did an "and I oop". Yikes, am I about to disagree with Anne for the first time?

Mon Guerlain Intense gives, from the get go, an old and outdated fragrance DNA to me, I'm so sorry, but it made me think of my aunt who is in her seventies.  Think good ol' Tresór by Lancome vibes. How can this be from 2019? Mon Guerlain Intense is without a doubt an aromatic, it is powdery, I get a clean lavender note that isn't like that of an essential oil, but a lavender field. The liquorice it quite prominent too. I despise the taste even though I was born and raised in a country that eats liquorice like their life depended on it. Safe to say, I am not too keen on the note in this fragrance too. On paper, I do not get any vanilla. The scent is purely an aromatic fragrance of lavender, liquorice, benzoin and just the slightest hint of some florals. At least, the outdatedness has disappeared. After dry down, the scent reminds me of Libre eau de toilette.

On skin, the fragrance has the same older DNA that it had on paper. I think it's the liquorice. It is somewhat sweeter on skin, but it isn't from the vanilla, it smells more of bubblegum. I had to revisit Anne's video to find the words to describe it. In my own words, it is a sweet, aromatic fragrance that by no means is a woody fragrance (according to Fragrantica, it is an Amber Wood). I have to agree with Anne, it is "sweet, creamy and flirty", but I don't get the white chocolate creaminess or even any creaminess from sandalwood, unfortunately.

Laura recommended to do a full day wear testing and I always do that before reviewing, but I really hope Mon Guerlain Intense surprises me. Right now, it's a loud 'no' from me.

Alright, so how did it go? First of, the scent was strong and I had a slight headache for many hours. Something about Mon Guerlain Intense is still very mature to me, not really endearing or my taste. Some (better) notes have appeared, but not enough to make me like it. After hours of wear, the scent had calmed down, but it hasn't changed my mind. It is very likeable, I think, but it is not My Guerlain.

Hours later, when I was getting ready for sleep, water came down my wrists while washing my face and only then did the vanilla appear and was actually pleasant. I got whiffs of it going to sleep and thought "I wish this was Mon Guerlain, but from first spray, not 12 hours after spraying...". 

Gris Charnel by BDK Parfums

High Expectations chapter one: 
Alright, Gris Charnel has been the main character in my feed along with Rouge Smoking for a while. The way you guys have been describing it, I just HAD to try it and from the first spray, I am hooked!

I get a lovely tea note that is comforting, but also fresh. There is some sweetness that doesn't make this a sweet scent, but creamy-sweet, a mix of tonka and light fig. There is a wonderful amount of vetiver (bourbon) that grounds the fragrance and I have to say that Gris Charnel reminds me of something. A fragrance I have tried before, but I am very unsure from which house or which fragrance. After dry down, the sandalwood makes the scent even more creamy, it is elegant, elevated, just delicious! 

Still on paper, I don't get any cardamom at all, maybe my take on cardamom is like that of Sweetly Known. THAT is a cardamom done right and strong!

I wouldn't call this fragrance woody, spicy or aromatic, which is the first three main accords according to Fragrantica. I would describe Gris Charnel as smooth and creamy, but not lactonic, and now when I come to think of it, it reminds me of a Commodity fragrance. Or even Santal Austral from Matiere Premiere.

On paper, the fresh tea and grounding vetiver has completely gone. This is just on paper, so let's give this a go on my skin.

On skin, I get a slight spiciness from cardamom, but not the sensual kind like that of Sweetly Known, instead it is more rough, sour. The tea note isn't present like it was on paper. Gris Charnel is not the smooth fragrance I got from paper, it is more masculine and wild. 

After dry down, the cardamom is faintly there and the roughness has gone too. The scent remains dark, but has become creamy. It is very different on paper than on my skin. It still has some Santal Austral vibe to it, but not as light an airy; it is an Autumn, gloomy version of it. 

Do I like it? Yes, but do I love it? No, I think I might forget all about it before long... I will give this one a couple of goes, because it has gained so much notoriety and I really want to know what all the fuss is about.

I added a couple of sprays, and this time around, the cardamom isn't sour, but more candy like. Riddle me that! Much more endearing.
The upcoming three reviews, including this one, are fragrances that I've had really high expectations for, so buckle up!

Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli | 64 by Kayali Fragrances

From first sniff, I am a big question mark. I have absolutely no idea whether or not I like this fragrance.

Close to skin, Royale has a smoky or rather burnt note that I've experienced so many times before. And I've grown to love it in fragrances like Blackmail and in BeauFort London fragrances. Vanilla Royale changes a lot, however, and what started off as a burnt match note has become sweeter and more of a smoky patchouli. There is something very harsh about this fragrance that isn't just dominating and making a statement, but misplaced and unpleasant. Royale has so many notes that I feel like they are all battling each other rather than complimenting each others presence.

Though the name of the fragrance is called something Royale, there's something cheap about it and it just doesn't scream quality or regalness. It's like a child in its mother's clothing - trying to be something that it's not.

I tried this fragrance in reverse, on skin first. Now on paper, a week later, I am just as confused. VRSP is sugary sweet for sure, too sweet for my liking. There is something fruity about it, like cheap children's candy. I am honestly baffled that so many people like this. I definitely get rum, like dried plum in liquor, but all the other notes I love aren't there. Or maybe they all are, at the same time, too much of them for either of them to shine. I get neither leather, tonka, spices nor vanilla. Just a sweet, sweet patchouli dipped in plum jam spiked with rum. It sounds good, doesn't it? It isn't and I don't know why.

To me, all Kayali fragrances are good in theory, but no matter how many times or how many of them I have tried, they disappoint every time. 

I tried it once more on skin and this is how it went: the spiked plum jam is richer and the patchouli gives off the burnt note, the fruitiness has gone and the scent is basically a sweet patchouli mess. VRSP tries very hard to be an oriental, but with my beloved Taj in my collection, it doesn't even come close.

One thing I do want to give Vanilla Royale credit for, is that the paper strip, even days later, smells just as potent as on the first day. On my desk, every time I sit down, I get whiffs of it and get confused, because the scent is strong, not unpleasant, but not good either.

Mandorla del Sud by Simone Andreoli

Let me preface by saying that this review won't be fair to Mandorla del Sud. Lately, I've been trying new fragrances that haven't evoked excitement or any major feelings, so I'm getting fairy annoyed.

Now, Mandarlo del Sud isn't a complex fragrance with juxtaposed notes, it is quite simple, to be honest, which might be my fault to reach for it now.

Almonds, vanilla, sugar and amber. Sounds absolutely delicious, but I have to remind myself not to expect the unexpected. What I do hope for, is a good fragrance that at least makes me think "mmm"...

Up in the air, before I even smell the freshly sprayed paper strip, I get an almond food aroma scent. Like the one my mom used to bake with. Smelling the strip, I'm surprised how delicately sweet this fragrance is despite its note composition.

When coming back from Poland, where I bought my sample, the scent wasn't on Fragrantica (I submitted it in the forum), so I wrote down the notes in hand. Now, when researching if this fragrance has more notes than those four, it has been added to the database and Fragrantica seems to have those four notes stated as the only ones too. The one and only review left on the scent is completely right. Is this even a gourmand? I also get a peppery note and Mandorla del Sud is just so underwhelming. Something about it is quite unpleasant. The peppery note is done very wrong and smells like plastic after dry down. I am not looking forward to trying it on skin.

Mandorla del Sud is an explosion of alcohol. Just after spraying, it felt like having vinegar in my nose. After dry down, the scent has the same peppery note, but on skin it smells like plastic right up front. This is absolutely terrible. It doesn't even smell like a perfume, nor a detergent, but something that is utterly bad. It smells like an inedible herb; sour, earthy, aromatic, in a grass-like manner. Mandorla del Sud has absolutely nothing to do with the wonders of vanilla, depth of amber or nuttiness of almonds. It isn't even sweet like sugar, for crying out loud. My mind keeps wandering around dill, and now it struck me, it smells like the root of horseradish! Mandorla del Sud smells like sticking your nose in a jar filled with the herbs you use to pickle salted cucumbers the way my dad has been doing since always. Not a smell I have ever wished to be made into a perfume. It's a hard pass.

Lovefest Burning Cherry | 48 by Kayali

Lovefest has a true and juicy cherry from the get go - just what I hoped for. The cherry note is what made me so crazy about Lost Cherry and I have been searching for it ever since. The difference is that Lovefest, though very similar, takes a turn already after dry down. The cherry isn't leading as it is throughout Lost Cherry's longevity (a propos, the longevity is short, embarrassingly so). 

Lovefest keeps reminding you of the initial cherry note, but quickly the depth of the fragrance appears and becomes the focal point. 

Lovefest has many, many notes, but the scent is very (some might say "well") blended and I don't get any specific tonka note, vetiver, praline, patchouli or guaiac wood. I wouldn't even call this a Woody fragrance, but an Amber Fruity.

Funny thing is, close to skin, Lovefest is an Amber, but up in the air around me, I still get the juicy fruitiness of the cherry. I love that it's still there.

I don't get any note of anything burnt, though it is implied in the name and the sales assistant told me that it had that note compared to Lost Cherry.

Just before I go on with the rest of my day, I feel like reapplying, I don't find Lovefest that strong...

After 6 hours or so, the scent was barely there... Though it has a tremendously longer longevity than Lost Cherry by Tom Ford, I have to admit, shyly, that I have a Lost Cherry dupe by Vault Essences that is absolutely mouthwatering and has an insane sillage and longevity. I would prefer having a Kayali scent than an obvious rip-off, but alas, the rip-off is by far the best performing fragrance of them all.

Spice Must Flow by Etat Libre d' Orange

Looking at the notes, I'm not sure why I chose Spice Must Flow. I do like incense and lately I've been liking cardamom too, but rose is my most disliked note from the top of my head. Anyhow, when ordering my next set of samples, Spice Must Flow came with.

On paper, incense is up in the air immediately. The note of incense is very creamy, like that of an incense stick of sandalwood, which has not yet been lit. However, very soon, the note of rose, sour as it is to my nose, appears too. When the fragrance dries down, I get a delightful note of ginger that compliments the scent very well. The cardamom is very faint and I'm actually unsure whether I can smell it or not, or if it's the ginger. This fragrance is very well blended. I must say that I was a little concerned, but what has been revealed on paper intrigues me.

Just before spraying my wrist, I came to the realisation that Spice Must Flow reminds me of a scent I tried at Sense Dubai, something about this fragrance is quite Middle Eastern. However, I am underwhelmed by how un-spicy it is. I would rather say this fragrance is warm and creamy (not in a lactonic way), but I would never call it spicy.

Lets give it a go on my skin. Spice Must Flow is very similar on skin as it is on paper at the opening, but I would actually say that it is better. The ginger isn't more gingery, but makes the fragrance fresher, the rose is less rosy, which to me means less sour. The cardamom isn't there either (as of yet), but the incense is less prominent than on paper. 

After dry down, my excitement fizzles. Spice Must Flow is better on paper than it is on my skin, where rose has become the most dominating note. On paper, the fragrance is an amber to me, but on my skin it is a floral amber (you know, I know, we all know, I don't like florals...). Funny thing is, the aura around me is rose, rose, rose, but, the fragrance is actually more like it is on paper, when I smell my wrist! 

Spice Must Flow was a ride. I interchangeable like and dislike it, I'm still not sure...

Going back to it after a hot while, I have to say that I dislike it. The rose is just too dominating, but I like how it smells close to my wrist.

Mystic Sugar by Coreterno

I have been very excited about trying Mystic Sugar from Coreterno. First of, yes, the notes are absolutely mouthwatering, but have you seen the bottle? Swoon! 

Black and gold is always a good idea, but the Gothic twist is just the icing on the cake. Speaking of cake, Mystic Sugar is an ambery vanilla fragrance. I get a creaminess from sandalwood without the characteristics of sandalwood. Sweetness from vanilla without the typical vanilla scent. Mystic Sugar is truly mystical. 

On paper, I haven't been able to smell the pineapple or even the ginger. Maybe just the slightest idea of pineapple is there, but the fragrance is mostly an amber.

On skin, I do get a juicy pineapple scent! It is not tart, but sweet and is not like that of Lamar, but realistic nonetheless. After the fragrance dries down, the note of pineapple is gone. Mystic Sugar becomes an amber yet again and reminds me of Gold and Milk by Commodity. Milk without the lactonic note and just the DNA of Gold. 

I had high expectations for Mystic Sugar and don't get me wrong, the fragrance is good, but I'm not compelled to break the bank and purchase it. 

I have difficulty describing it beyond being an amber vanilla. It is creamy, warm without being spicy, skin-like, pleasant. 

I hoped to add this to my collection just for the look, but I think I'll skip this one.

Semi-Modern Vetiver Fat Electrician by Etat Libre d' Orange

I finally got my hands on Fat Electrician from Etat Libre d' Orange. It wasn't easy, because though ELDO is available in Denmark, it is not all fragrances from the house, seldom those that I am interested in. 

Luckily, Lulua came to the rescue!

Airy sweetness from first spray, surprisingly delicate, but it quickly becomes cloying, sappy even, but still light. Ain't that an oxymoron!

I had to look up the notes and to my surprise, this fragrance is not unisex according to Fragrantica, but a men's perfume. That goes to show that all fragrances are unisex, it all depends on the nose sniffing.

On paper, I only get the sweet and gourmand notes. It is a nicely blended concoction of whipped cream, marron glacé, vanilla and myrrh.

On skin, I get the exact same smell as on paper, but with just the slightest hint of vetiver. Not the dusty and smoky kind, but more ethereal. Fat Electrician is milky and lactonic making me think of Milk from Commodity as it is the latest milky scent I have tried, but the ELDO scent is without the play dough undertone that I found in all Commodity fragrances. I wish the vetiver was more green, more fresh, because this is a heavily gourmand and sweet fragrance that slowly becomes too cloying for my liking.

Hours in, the fragrance has become more masculine on paper, actually. I can't point my finger as to what makes it more masculine, but an unknown note has appeared, which has a cologne DNA. 

On skin, the scent hasn't changed much. 

Days later, I can still smell the scent on the paper strip and it is delicious. I completely understand why this is so popular.

Unforsaken by Kerosene (revisited)

Over a year ago, I tried some fragrances from the house of Kerosene for the first time. All fragrances took me by storm being charismatic, fears and unique. Follow, Unknown Pleasures, Blackmail, Broken Theories... All were a force of their own. Another scent, that seemed to be less fears and dominating than the other ones, proved to be the one I fell for the most. That fragrance was Unforsaken.

Unforsaken is as I remember (read review from back then, if you are curious). It is a white floral that I actually like, which is an accomplishment on its own, considering how much I dislike florals. From the opening, it has a fresh citrus top note, it has a tropical undertone too from the coconut and tangerine.

This is going to sound strange, but bare with me. Unforsaken doesn't smell niche to me and I know that per definition, niche means something completely different, but what I do mean is that there's nothing quirky about this fragrance. Unforsaken is how I wish designer fragrances would smell like, but unfortunately, I find them bland, too sweet or overly blended and without a trace of the notes that are in them, whereas Unforsaken is very palatable, but at the same time I can define most notes in it. Do you catch my meaning?

The difference is quality, in my opinion. Unforsaken screams quality, masterful blending and paring of notes. Chefs kiss! After hours of wear, the scent is more creamy, still floral, but so endearing and delightful. 

This is a fragrance I will keep revisiting and perhaps one day, I will add it to my collection.

Sweetly Known by Kerosene

A sweet, caramelly and a little boozy fragrance from the get go. Sweetly Known is verging on gourmand ATM, but it isn't overpowering or cloying, to my surprise looking at the notes. It is somehow light.

After dry down, however, cardamom is revealed and it is gorgeous in composition with the rest of the notes! Sweetly Known has arrived at gourmand.

The scent reminds me a bit of Cardamom Coffee by Lush, but it is less pungent and actually wearable.

That is on paper, I'm sure that as soon as I spray myself, we'll have another story.

As expected, the fragrance is ampt up on skin. I get more booziness and the cardamom is in for the ride from the start! Sweetly Known, though very different, is a lighter version of Follow by Kerosene, in my opinion. It doesn't have a coffee note per se, but the cardamom and slight note of burnt match remind me so much of Follow. I found Follow absolutely mouthwatering, but not that wearable, whereas Sweetly Known is perfect for Autumn and Winter as a signature scent.

I could smell it for 6+ hours and the experience was so pleasant.

I kept sniffing, and back home after a long day at work, my boyfriend asked "you own that, right?". Answer is, unfortunately not, but his reaction to that was "you will. It is delicious!".

Sweetly Known is what I wish I had, I absolutely adore my Unknown Pleasures, but it is an absolute BEAST that wears me, not me it, whereas Sweetly Known makes me feel so confident and sexy that I just need this in my collection!

Wood Haven by Kerosene

Wood Haven flew under my radar when buying samples from the house of Kerosene the first time, but getting to know this house, I learned that it takes me by surprise every time. This time around, I scooped up Wood Haven and expected a deep woody fragrance that leaned more masculine, but with notes of citrus, specifically lemon, grapefruit and bergamot, I expected something light-hearted too.

On paper, Wood Haven opens with juicy and realistic citruses like that of all Kerosene citrus fragrances. Yum! The ginger and pepper is very prominent too, absolutely beautifully recognisable! I expected a deep and dark woody fragrance, but the woody notes is from cedar and vetiver, making it fresh and aromatic.

After dry down, Wood Haven is an aromatic citrus, the citruses are still the dominating notes, how? John Pegg, master of the citrus fragrances, please make a citrus amber fragrance with just a hint of vanilla!

On skin, Wood Haven has a leathery undertone from the get go. It is far more masculine, less fresh and the citrus is barely there. I find ginger and pepper being more prevalent than the citruses. A shame, if you ask me, because I absolutely adore citruses. 

After dry down, the scent is an aromatic leather, very different from what it was on paper and based on the notes. Wood Haven reacts to skin chemistry a lot. It has a light sweetness on my skin too, but it is difficult to pinpoint. The sweetness isn't gourmand, but like that of skin and warmth. 

I am a little disappointed with Wood Haven, the citruses are still so bright and prominent on paper, whereas on skin, cedar is the dominating note, but it is to be expected. The fragrance isn't called Citrus Haven after all!

Triptych by Kerosene

The opening of Triptych is very aromatic, very endearing to be honest. Not at all what I expected from the notes and the described accords. It is actually a little sweet. Very quickly does the surprising sweetness and depth disappear only to leave the fragrance very herbal and almost medicinal.

Triptych also has a true to Kerosene amazing citrus note. John Pegg is a master when it comes to citruses. On paper, the fragrance is an aromatic, citrus scent with herbal accords. I do not get rose at all. Triptych, though unisex, leans very masculine to me. I'm very curious how it performs on my skin.

Generous sprays on my wrist reveal a completely different scent. Triptych is largely dominated by geranium whereas the aromatic elements are just in the background. Light notes of lemon too. When the fragrance has dried down, it becomes more similar to how it performs on a piece of paper. More aromatic, less geranium, more citrus and fresh. Still leaning more masculine. 

Aromatic fragrances can easily become quite chemical and air-refreshener-like, especially with added citrus notes, but Triptych by Kerosene has its upper-hand, quality. Though aromatics are generally not for me, I have to agree that this is not the best from Kerosene, but a nice change to the other scents from this house and the respective scent families they belong to.

A last though is that the fragrance is far more aromatic on paper, almost spicy, whereas the fragrance remains a fresh and lightly aromatic fragrance on skin. 

Fields of Rubus by Kerosene

Sweet, a little boozy opening with notes of smokiness. There's a fresh tobacco note that keeps the fragrance grounded and not too sweet or cloying. The sweetness is slightly fruity, but not so much so that I can identify, which fruit it is. 

After dry down, the smokiness disappears and I find out that patchouli is what made the fragrance smoky in the first place.

This is just on paper, on skin, Fields of Rubus is a rich and surprisingly juicy patchouli fragrance. It is in fact very different from any Kerosene fragrance I have tried, and I've smelled a fair few by now.

Not too long after spraying, the patchouli becomes sensually dirty and tobacco is just as prevalent. The fruitiness is just in the background adding sweetness and slight freshness to the fragrance.

Reapplying, the patchouli in the beginning is so dirty that it almost smells like dark chocolate!

After dry down, the fragrance leans more masculine on me, but in a feminine way - make that make sense!

Fields of Rubus is taking me by surprise. I did not expect any of this, but I do enjoy the ride. 

Sacred Memory by Kerosene

Sacred Memory is true to the DNA of Kerosene from first spray. I get flash memories of Blackmail, Broken Theories and elements of other fragrances too.

Sacred Memory is truly just that, sacred memories of some of the many Kerosene fragrances I have tried.

I get a contrasting sour, woody note and lightly sweet berry undertone. It is oak, whiskey and tobacco in harmony with red berry notes. After dry down, the fragrance is woody and based on the somewhat sweet undertone of whiskey. I am excited to see how it performs with my skin.

~

Wow. Turpentine, burnt wood, nothing pleasant to my nose, at first spray. Sacred Memory is a harsh fragrance! Unfortunately, the red berry notes are nowhere to be found on my skin, which would have been a pleasant contrast to the fragrance.

After dry down, Sacred Memory isn't as sour and chemical, but burnt wood is at the forefront with just a hint of something else, not whiskey though.

To my surprise, the fragrance sweetens up a little bit and it is as if the red berry notes are there after all. Unfortunately, Sacred Memory won't be a sacred memory to me.

Lamar by Kajal Perfumes

Sun shining into the kitchen, pineapple so sweet and ripe that juice oozes down the cutting board and drops on your tanned sunkissed skin. Lamar is a tropical gourmand that entices with its realism. 

And this is just on paper!

Juicy, warm, dripping with pineapple sap, Lamar is a tropical dream.

The freshness of the green apple is there too, just about as much as the pineapple. 

After dry down, the two roses aren't detectable to me, but a hint of white floral is definitely there.

I have been raving about this fragrance in so many reviews, so I thought it was in due time to finally tell about my experience with Lamar.

It is tropical in the best way; rich, warm and seductive, pick your poison.

It was brilliant for the hot weather when in Warsaw and the richness suits the colder days too, making me want to cozy up on the couch.

In all honesty, there is nothing left to be said, Lamar is thee pineapple fragrance.

Emporio Armani Stronger With YOU Absolutely by Giorgio Armani

Yet again, I have come home with a fragrance targeted towards men. My luck with female targeted designer fragrances has been a complete flop, but once again I have been smitten by an homme fragrance.

~

The YOU series has something about it that has me smelling the paper strip a little longer than usual before passing it to a customer. When it came to trying Absolutely, that was it, I just had to try it on my skin. Absolutely is rich, warm, spicy and a somewhat more balsamic and alcoholic version of By The Fireplace by Replica.

Now I do apologise to any rum lovers, but I dislike the taste and do not get the same 'dislike' when smelling Absolutely. Absolutely has a more spiced liquor scent to it rather than the potent and harsh smell of rum. 
Sweet, but not too much, balancing on the edge of unisex, Absolutely is just delicious.

~

On skin, Absolutely is dominated more by the liquor note than it was on the paper strip. It is boozier, but also lighter. I get the hint of bergamot and the aromatic element of lavender without the characteristic scent of lavender. It is actually less sweet and less leaning towards a unisex scent than it was on paper, which is different. Usually fragrances become sweeter on me.

~

After dry down, the bergamot has gone, the same goes for the lavender. YOU Absolutely has become more smokey and masculine in an endearing way. 
I am so smitten by this!

YOU Absolutely also becomes a little nutty, it is really endearing. It might have reminded me of By The Fireplace and be similar to Memoirs of A Trespasser, but it is somehow different enough to become a part of the collection... Should I?

Libre Le Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent

Just like Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur, Libre is so eye catching that I have given both perfumes more chances than I should. I would love to have the two in my collection just because of how they look, but I haven't. I think myself more sensible than that.

Last week I was at a YSL-Prada-Armani event and it was announced that Libre has now been decorated with saffron. Immediately I perked up wishing and hoping that this time, I will like it.

Let me preface by saying that both the eau de toilette and eau de parfum are not to my liking, at all, so my hopes weren't too high, but as soon as I tried Libre Le Parfum on a paper strip, I knew that this one stands a chance.

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On paper, Libre Le Parfum is an airy amber fragrance. I get the fruity mandarin, but not so much the ginger, which is supposed to be a top note. I do not get the lavender either. On paper, Libre Le Parfum is light, fresh and what I would call a mildly fruity fragrance. After dry down, the scent hasn't changed all that much, so I'm curious how it will perform on skin.

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On skin, I get a fresh and juicy bergamot and soon a sweetness of honey appears too. A slight spiciness from the ginger. Libre Le Parfum is quite different on skin than it was on paper. 
The fragrance remains mostly the same after dry down, a lightly spicy and warm fragrance.

After complete oxidation, Libre Le Parfum is still very light an airy, it never becomes a deep and rich fragrance. I wouldn't call it soapy, but it has the same light and airy quality as soap fragrances do. Due to the citrusy opening and this lightness that the fragrance has throughout, this is a perfect early spring and autumn fragrance. I wouldn't necessarily find it suitable for winter, it is just too light.

Unfortunately, Libre Le Parfum isn't as deep and spicy as I would have liked it to be, but fortunately I do like it as a transitional fragrance for the seasons. I am so pleased with that, because for a good bargain, I would actually buy and wear this from time to time and FINALLY have this beauty of a bottle in my collection. 

Mile High 38 by Parle Moi de Parfum

Before going to Warsaw, I knew who had Lamar by Kajal in stock. I have heard nothing but praise about it and the quality of the pineapple note too, so I just had to try it.

I did, and believe me, it is not overrated.

I tried Lamar and whilst praising the pineapple note, the kind staff from Perfumeria Impressium had me trying all of their pineapple scents, one of them being Mile High 38 by Parle Moi de Parfum.

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A burst of pineapple at first spray, but to my surprise, there is some other note too. On paper the opening note is a pure juicy pineapple, but on skin, a green note dominates the fruity companion. Immortelle and a dirty patchouli.

Straight from the bottle I was expecting a juicy cocktail almost too sweet for my 30 plus years, but on my skin, Mile High 38 is nothing juvenile, but a mystically rich fragrance. 

After dry down, Mile High 38 is a patchouli fragrance, nothing else. Beautiful, but too similar to Nouveau Genre by Yves Rocher.

Hours in, my nose alludes me to Nouveau Genre and nothing else, a sweet patchouli.

Pleasant, but not memorable. Yet again, Lamar makes the other pineapple scents run for their money.

La Nuit de L'Homme Bleu Électrique by Yves Saint Laurent

Lately, I have been advising many men in fragrances, unfortunately, it isn't men with an interest in fragrances, but those who just search for "a good fragrance". To each their own, but it hurts my soul when I sell the umpteenth Acqua di Gio, Code or Boss Bottled, once in a while Chanel Blue... I understand, to the general male, those fragrances are good and good enough, but to a scent obsessed person like myself I scream inside that there are SO many other fragrances to try!

Now, my options are small too, the most 'exotic' choice my customers have is Oud Wood by Tom Ford. 
In short, I have the regular Boss fragrances, Montblanc, Calvin Klein, Armani (no Prive), Paco Rabanne and so on and so forth, at hand, so when I smelled La Nuit de L'Homme Bleu Électrique by Yves Saint Laurent for the first time, it was as if I had woken up from a slumberous haze.

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Spicy, warm, seductive, DIFFERENT (from the other options on the shelves), I tell you that every time a guy says "I like a little spice, something different than X, Y and Z" I reach for Bleu. However, my success in convincing them is very low, usually they end up buying their classic, One Million...

So, if not them, than me! Bleu Électrique is so memorable and just calls my name every time I pass it that I chose to get a sample for myself. And I really hope my boyfriend loves it too, so he can wear it!

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As I only know it from a paper strip, let's start there.
Now, you know my stance on designer fragrances and Bleu has the same DNA, BUT the warm aromatic spiciness is to die for. It is somehow so masculine and not for the faint of heart, but at the same time very unisex. It's sweet too, I absolutely adore it.

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On my skin, the sweet cardamom is much more prominent and definable. I get a hint, a teeny tiny one, of marzipan too. So faint that it's almost more of an almondy note. After dry down, it reminds me of some fragrance that I cannot for the life of me pinpoint which, but it is a niche one.

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After complete oxidation, I get a hint of play doe. I must say that my enthusiasm has dwindled. Bleu is still good, but I've gotten a slight headache from it. It's very powerful and I have to give this one a couple of goes before I make my full opinion.

Rahaba by Anfas Perfumes

When at Sense Dubai, I was like a kid in a candy store. The talented Nina found my dream perfume, Taj, but I also tried so many other fragrances that made me fall head over heels in love with Dubai fragrances.

After my third (!!!) visit there, on my trip to Warsaw, I got a sample of Rahaba too. Yet another pineapple fragrance on my quest to find the perfect one (even though I think Lamar by Kajal is thee peak pineapple fragrance). 

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Bear in mind that in Warsaw it was hot and the oriental fragrances were in their right element. I had to try this fragrance a couple of times before making my opinion and I have to say that in the Danish summer, which isn't as hot as the Polish ones, the fragrances do not unfold like they rightfully should.

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Now to the review.

Just after taking the cap off my sample decanter, I can already smell the fruity, sweet, vanilla that is Rahaba.

Sweet, syrupy yet elusive pineapple, Rahaba opens very sticky, but with a charm. Powderiness from the orris, but surprisingly no rose, even though it has both damask and Grasse. On paper, Rahaba is a powdery sweet fragrance.

On skin, the opening notes are surprisingly without any trace of pineapple. This will sound insulting, but the fragrance has a very Zara perfume vibe - powdery sweet with that signature Zara baseline. Rahaba, when sniffed from the decanter, is fruity and fresh, more so than Taj, but on skin, I get orris and heavy sweetness.

I get a slight hint of gin, but it is handsomely decorated with sappy sweetness that is on the verge of giving me a headache.

After dry down, Rahaba is quite disappointing, unfortunately, the scent seemed promising, but luckily, I won't have to choose between this and Taj. No questions asked, Taj is still thee fragrance.

Pluie de Soleil by Phaedon

I went to Perfumeria Impressium on my tour-de-Warsaw-perfumes, but I got there quite late, ten minutes before they were closing. I know myself how irritating it is to have customers just before closing hours, so I was frantically smelling and trying to decide which fragrance samples to purchase. Key word is "trying", because I had no clue which fragrances I ended up taking with me when walking out the store.

One of them was Pluie de Soleil by Phaedon, which was recommended to me by the seller. I don't know why, but after trying Lamar by Kajal I was on a pineapple mission! Mile High by Parle Moi de Parfum failed me, others I tried where too synthetic, but apparently Pluie de Soleil was acceptable since I got it. Who knows, I was in a frantic haze!

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Pluie de Soleil is sweet and summery at the opening. No specific notes come to mind, however. The fragrance is fruity in a somewhat tropical way and I get a hint of something floral.

The notes in Pluie de Soleil are in fact pineapple, strawberry, Amalfi lemon, freesia, musk, sandalwood and bergamot. I get the mixture of pineapple and strawberry, but it is quite synthetic on my skin. After trying Lamar from Kajal, no pineapple seems to compare!

Pluie de Soleil is in quality more like a designer fragrance, if it stood next to Juicy Couture, I wouldn't be surprised.

The fragrance is also very fleeting on my skin. Three big sprays, but already after dry down, it is very hard to detect.

Fruity fragrances do not have to be juvenile, yet Pluie de Soleil is. Even after dry down, when the musk is more prevalent, the scent is an early twenties fragrance at best. What a shame. I love the bottle and the thought of a pineapple fragrance in my collection, but unfortunately Pluie de Soleil is a miss.

Eau de Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford

You know my stance on Tom Ford fragrances, but for some reason I cannot seem to stay away, because his fragrances are that good. When smelled from the bottle, that is. On skin, it's a whole 'nother story.

This summer, I seem to have been on a tropical hunt chasing pineapple scents and those reminiscent of exotic coastlines. Naturally, I was interested in Eau de Soleil Blanc.

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Eau de Soleil Blanc has a huge composition of notes, on Fragrantica, and I'm not even going to try to write them all down, but all I need to know is this: citrus, coconut, petitgrain, vanilla, benzoin, tonka and amber... I'm sold.

So how is Eau de Soleil Blanc?

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A powerful citrus burst at first spray! Yum! Soon after, I smell the white florals, the coconut, the sunshine, the tropical island.

Tom Ford has a way of luring you in, but will this fragrance last at all?

In all honesty, Eau de Soleil Blanc reminds me of Unforsaken by Kerosene, which is on my wishlist. It's been almost a year since I've smelled it, so I'm not completely sure, but I keep revisiting my old review, because I remember it making a big impression on me. 

Eau de Soleil Blanc might be a more generic version of Unforsaken, a more digestible one. I keep getting hints of tiaré, which is probably the white florals in combination with the coconut. After dry down, there's something Monoï by Yves Rocher about it too... What I thought would be a unique fragrance is actually not that special at all, it seems.

Eau de Soleil Blanc is also more soapy than the other two, but I wore it on a 7 hour shift and I am pleasantly surprised how long I could smell it on me and taking my jacket on at the end of the day, I got full whiffs of it. Never thought that would be possible with a Tom Ford!

That being said, if I had the money to spend, I might have added it to my collection, but my thoughts (and nose) is fully mesmerised by Taj by Yas perfumes and Eau de Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford seems to fade in comparison...