The bottles look interesting. Zelen (pictured above) is my pick of the two—picture from Boka. I've been wearing fragrances from the US independent brand Boka https://bokafragrance.com/ on and off for the last six months. After researching the brand (basically reading their website), I've deduced they're a one-man band. Their founder, Boris Zrnic, of Serbian heritage, named … Continue reading Boka – Suze & Zelen – Orange Blossom & Vetiver
Author: danielwp
Dolce & Gabbana – Devotion Pour Homme – Aromatic Coffee
When life gives you lemons, Dolce & Gabbana (D&G) and Olivier Cresp make perfume. Well, something like that. They've certainly utilised a lot of lemons in the perfumes I'm going to discuss today. I wanted to focus on Devotion Pour Homme (DPH), Dolce and Gabbana's new masculine fragrance. However, I'll briefly touch on the 2023 … Continue reading Dolce & Gabbana – Devotion Pour Homme – Aromatic Coffee
Floris – Purple Mémoire – Modern Lavender
Three "purple" floral notes make up the new fragrance, Purple Mémoire, from Floris: violet, lavender, and iris. Lavender is undoubtedly the most prominent. The lavender in Purple Mémoire smells pillowy, soft, and calming, possessing an almost candied sweetness. It's my favourite element of the fragrance. Unfortunately, some other aspects detract from the overall experience. Here … Continue reading Floris – Purple Mémoire – Modern Lavender
Room 1015 – Jasmine Freak – Not In The Least Bit Freakish
Scour Room 1015's website, https://room1015.com/, and you'll see references to rock 'n' roll, counterculture, and punk. The brand founder, Michael Partouche, a trained pharmacist, uses his fragrance to express rebellion and alternative ideology. From what I've sampled, I've been unimpressed. However, like many brands and bands, they got off to a good start. They launched … Continue reading Room 1015 – Jasmine Freak – Not In The Least Bit Freakish
Penhaligon’s – The Dandy – A Bit Of A Non-Event
The Dandy stands alongside his British pals at the department store. Penhaligon's continues to churn them out, almost in a vain attempt to see what sticks. At least this time, they haven't ventured too far from their home shores for inspiration. Typically, it's a good sign when they stick close to home. For The Dandy, … Continue reading Penhaligon’s – The Dandy – A Bit Of A Non-Event
Francesca Bianchi – The Code Of Emotion – Fruity Fougere
Francesca Bianchi's latest creation, The Code of Emotion, veers from her usual stylings. Gone are the powdery orris and sepia-toned animalic leathers. Instead, the focus shifts to an appealing fruity scent built around a fougère framework. Indeed, I had a surprising emotional reaction after spraying The Code of Emotion. I found it positively smile-inducing. I … Continue reading Francesca Bianchi – The Code Of Emotion – Fruity Fougere
First Impressions – Marc-Antoine Barrois – Aldebaran
Aldebaran is pictured here with tuberose and pear. Oddly, I don't get fruit but something vegetal. Aldebaran, sounding like a planet from Star Wars, sees the dynamic duo of Marc Antoine Barrois (MAB) and Quentin Bisch take on tuberose. Curiosity got the better of me, and I looked it up. It was the planet Alderaan, … Continue reading First Impressions – Marc-Antoine Barrois – Aldebaran
Atelier Materi – Extraits – Essentially More Of The Same
Here are my initial impressions of yet another line of extraits—this time from Atelier Materi. The line contains three fragrances, all composed by Céline Perdriel. I tried Ambre Papier last year after receiving a free sample with an order from Indigo Perfumery. So, I thought I'd purchase samples of the other two, Burgundy Oud and … Continue reading Atelier Materi – Extraits – Essentially More Of The Same
First Impressions – BDK – Impadia -Misguided Rose
I tried another fragrance (in addition to Tom Ford—Bois Pacifique—Sharp, Woody And Hostile) at the store last week: BDK's Impadia. I'd heard good things, but Impadia falls flat in the originality stakes. The Parisian outfit's best work came early in its existence, with its first release in 2016, and over the years, it's produced hits like … Continue reading First Impressions – BDK – Impadia -Misguided Rose
Tom Ford – Bois Pacifique – Sharp, Woody And Hostile
Tom Ford releases a billion fragrances yearly but rarely offers something new in their more reasonably priced Signature line. Most of the time, the consumer gets a cast-off from their Private collection. Unfortunately, Bois Pacifique fails to excite me and certainly won't become my signature scent any time soon. I think what it's trying to … Continue reading Tom Ford – Bois Pacifique – Sharp, Woody And Hostile