Tendre Est La Nuit Majda Bekkali Sculptures Olfactives

Source: shinycreation.com

I took a quick look at the notes for Tendre Est La Nuit on Fragrantica, realised I haven't smelt quite a number of them and decided not to bother describing things I don't know and work out what I do smell even if it's not what's listed. 

I am strongly reminded of Parfum d`Empire Ambre Russe, likely strongly reminded, don't call me crazy. I dug out my sample of Ambre Russe to compare and I stand by what I say, well minus the vodka opening of Ambre Russe. Calling Tendre Est La Nuit a boozy oriental leather in a nutshell might be overly simplistic but that's the major part of the scent, something I didn't expect by its name but am quite enjoying. 

I smell boozy, syrup-engorged (immortelle maple syrup like) fruit like in Serge Lutens' Arabie but instead of the all-spice mix of Arabie there is pepper, smoky resins and balms which I can't tell apart but together with the pepper gives Tendre Est La Nuit it's oriental genes, a smooth tanned leather like in Anubis from Papillon Artisan Perfumes and a dark earthy patchouli. A thick, concentrated scent that seems to transform from its syrupy start to a dry fine dust over time, almost like musty old books that have been sprayed with the perfume. 

I prefer Tendre Est La Nuit to Ambre Russe for being an easier digestif to swallow, Tendre Est La Nuit imbibes but stops short of heavy drinking, while with Ambre Russe although being wearable art, one still has to be in the right mood to wear it without being worn out by the whole experience. Tendre Est La Nuit is a heavy scent with a big projection so I would be careful with applying this to avoid inducing headaches and/or nausea, but its strength fades out over time so that by the eighth hour it's a pleasant skin scent. P.S: I was putting clothes aside for laundry when I smelt a most gorgeous smoky, sweet and dark patchouli coming from the top I had used when wearing Tendre Est la Nuit more than 24 hours ago. Beautiful!

Anubis Papillon Artisan Perfumes

A solidly potent leather scent. 

This is no sweaty roll in the stables with flowers in your hair Cuir de Russe of Les Exclusifs de Chanel, it's more leathery than Cuir Mauresque and does not have the thick fruity sweetness of the Lutens.

Anubis is a leather loaded with a ton of tannin, I smell birch tar redolent of tar for paving roads (I happen to find tar sweet when it's freshly laid) and leathery smell. The gum resins frankincense and myrrh (I won't pretend to know where one ends and the other begins) lend a smoky and nutty sweetness after the initial pungent animal relaxes its stronghold.

Jasmine and pink lotus are listed but on me the flowers are sadly buried under the stack of tanned hides, a pity as I do love jasmine. I do smell the immortelle, here it showcases it's caramelized curry and dusty aspects and reminds me of Annick Goutal's Sables.

Anubis stays like this for the rest of its duration, a smoky leather and caramelized balmy resins. I find this rich, sensual, dark and cozy. I won't wear it to the office, the scent is much too sexually charged for fluorescent lighting and should be reserved for when one is on the prowl.

The scent trail is impressive, I applied a smidgen of this from a dab sample and it's positively radiating from its spot. Longevity could be better but I might have to judge it again in a spray form rather than a dab sample to know for sure.

A little trivia: Anubis is the Greek name of the jackal headed Egyptian god who was a funerary god. The ancient Egyptians believed that embalming the dead with the use of sweet-smelling herbs and plants helped the deceased because Anubis would sniff the mummy and only allow the pure to move on to Paradise. The ancient Egyptians used precious perfumery ingredients in the embalming process. The essential oils used in the embalming process are  also effective antibacterial agents and are partly responsible for the preservation of the corpses.

Anubis statue found in the tomb of Tutankhhamun