Harem Soirée Arte Profumi

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Fragrantica

I purchased samples of Harem Soirée and Velvet Rouge from First in Fragrance a few months ago and have worn both several times now (although First in Fragrance does use generous sized spray samples, you should still have a good idea as to how far a little spray of either scent goes. Need I add that the staying power is amazing). The scents are complex creatures and take a while to fully appreciate and understand, hence why it's taken me a while to write about either.

Harem Soirée feels like a relative of Amouage's Memoir Woman. That is not to say that they smell the same, but both have a dense, opulent and animalic character. Whereas Memoir boasts the typical lengthy list of notes that characterizes most if not all from the house of Amouage, Harem Soirée has three listed notes on Fragrantica of myrrh, ambergris and rose (First in Fragrance lists only ambergris and rose). Harem Soirée definitely smells more complicated than three let alone two notes. Then again the complexity could be attributed to the main player ambergris, which to my nose is responsible for the headily sweet yet unmistakably animalic (salty and a tad of manure) odour. I'm guessing that for those who shy away from heady/raunchy scents, Harem Soirée would risk being too pungent for their taste. Rose is almost hidden behind the smoke and mirrors effect created by the multi-faceted ambergris. Almost but not quite. I imagine her to be a dark and deep red rose, fleshy and voluptuous, the way I usually enjoy my roses (and wines for that matter). Far from being prettily sweet and more of a burlesque dancer, rose sinuously winds and entwines herself in the smoky swirls of the scent, as it enraptures and captures your attention, then your heart and finally your money. 

A little late but I decide to get a bottle with my soon expiring birthday voucher from First in Fragrance ( the shortlist was between Harem Soirée, Rubj EDP, Ambra Aurea and Bacarrat Rouge 540...it wasn't an easy choice I can tell you but Harem Soirée with its siren call of roses and ambergris won out). I will enjoy wearing it in the unseasonably colder weather we have been experiencing in Singapore of late. I started re reading Bram Stoker's Dracula and can quite imagine a deadly and devastatingly beautiful Un Dead using this beguiling scent to entrance its victim.

Nin-Shar Jul et Mad Paris

Desirability: Full bottle and a back up

Source: pinterest

I have heard/read of instances in which people observe a moment's silence when opening a rare fine wine or brandy, out of respect or perhaps silent awe. "Dear God!" was my first thought when sniffing the opened bottle of Nin-Shar (in the cute Love Dose 5ml size as was a semi-blind buy, I say semi-blind because I had a very pleasant encounter with Néa and therefore was confident that I would love its sibling too. With rose, oud and incense listed in its notes, it's a safe bet for me). After a deliriously happy albeit silent moment during which my olfactory nerves imbibed greedily on this glorious juice, my second thought was "I need a bigger bottle! STAT!" 

It seems like almost every house whether niche or mainstream has a rose/oud combination and the huge selection is quite fatiguing after the initial excitement wore off. Nin-Shar stands out from the competition because of its luscious rose jam note that is dripping with berries in syrup and packed with dark red roses in full bloom. This dessert rose shares some similarities with other jammy roses like Parfumerie Generale's PG13 Brulure de Rose or Sådanne . However the patchouli, incense and oud pull the fragrance away from the gourmand territory and the result is a sophisticated broody rose indulging in a glass of burgundy, surrounded by opulent trappings. Everything about Nin-Shar is rich and rooted in quality ingredients, projection is *moderate and longevity is very good on me. 

*my fellow colleagues beg to differ and insist that projection is enormous as apparently they can smell me down the hall which is no small feat. They have further claimed that anyone spending more than five minutes in my room comes out smelling of boozy roses. I leave you to be your own judge! :)

Rima XI Carner Barcelona

Desirability: Decant

Source: pinterest

Rice pudding was my first thought on sniffing Rima XI applied to the crook of my elbow. Jeux de Peau was my second thought. It does have that salty sweetness that I love about the gourmand Lutens but where Jeux de Peau conjures up a reel of memories taken from a warm bakery on a cold day, Rima XI brings to mind the Asian dessert of silky rice pudding flavoured with vanilla and gently powdered with spices. 

It starts off rather dry, with the spices (cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg) dominating the scent at first but mellowing as time progresses, underneath is the creamy rice pudding that is a good balance of sweet and savoury. I like eating rice pudding but smelling like it for hours would not be as enjoyable, thankfully the spices break the mundaneness here in Rima XI. The scent gradually morphs from a gourmand into a soft woody amber base with a little musk. A comfort scent from start to finish. 

By the way this scent doesn't bloom as well on paper as it does on skin, so don't test it on paper. It also performs better in the heat, the scent projects much more than it does in my "colder" office where it creeps back to the skin. Overall I find it a rather light scent with average longevity of about 6 hours. 

Nice but not super interesting which is why I'm happy with my decant.  

Habanita Molinard

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Fragrantica

Refined. Warm. Inviting.

Habanita is more my cup of leather/vanilla than the whisper-soft suede/vanilla that is Cuir Beluga from Guerlain's exclusive L 'Art et la Matière line. As much as I am a loyal fan of Guerlain and as much as I appreciate the quality and class of Cuir Beluga...it's a shade too sheer for my enjoyment, resembling the easygoing soft suede Cuir Ottoman, a scent I like but not love. 

Habanita is definitely not a light fragrance but neither is it as dark and dangerous as its bottle suggests and I can't recommend this as a "strictly" leather scent. Put it simply, both Cuir Beluga and Cuir Ottoman are blonde suedes and Habanita is a dark suede. When asked to recommend leather scents, what comes to mind are the likes of Cuir de Russie, Anubis and Cuir Mauresque to name a few. Habanita wears more like an Oriental vanilla scent, infused with a leather note that is more prominent at the beginning then fading away by the drydown. Never harsh but a smooth and thoroughly enjoyable polished leather smell that captures the luxuriousness of Habanita as it smoulders its way into an amber base- sweet vanilla with a generous amount of smoky resins thrown emanating a heart-warming glow for hours.

A wonderful creation with an average projection and very good longevity. I recently adopted a bottle of this beauty who keeps her softer and more feminine sibling Habanita L'Esprit company. By the way I know there is endless debate on whether Habanita L'Esprit deserves to be named as such and having spent time with both, I do agree that they share DNA. 

Divine EDP Divine

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: Fragrantica

I seriously believed I was over my white floral craze having smelt some of the not so great and some of the very best (too smug was I). That is until I met Divine which thoroughly deserves its name and even more. This house was a totally hidden gem for me but no longer. Not after having sampled this gorgeous one and  the siren L`etre Aime Femme (*fans herself), both scents having pushed the competition out of the way to reach the top two spots on my want list. 

Nose-tingling aldehydes make a sweeping entrance. Heady tuberose (the way it should be), milky sweet gardenia and citrus-tinged orange blossom run riot in Divine EDP. Not one flower outshines the others but together create a most glorious symphony. Rose and jasmine are noticeable but my attention was focussed on the white flowers I love best. However the indolic jasmine becomes far more obvious as the scent settles down and develops into a warm, spiced and musky floriental that's sophisticated and sunny. I literally have nothing but praise for Divine EDP. Even from a dab sample, the sillage is huge and longevity is very, very good. 

Bold, bright and beautiful. If you love white flowers, you must try this. MUST. 

Voile d'Ambre Yves Rocher

Desirability: Decant

Source: www.punmiris.com

A soft oriental that reminds me of other similarly mild tempered characters like Oppoponax by Les Néréides and Opium Eau D'ete Summer Fragrance 2003 from Yves Saint Laurent. 

Starts off bitter green and tangy like the rinds of dozens of limes being peeled off simultaneously, with a dash of the aromatic sweetness that is unique to cardamom seeds. It turns a bit dry and dusty with a sweet woody smell before evolving into a sheer golden amber, citrus-tinged vanilla and smoky sweet resins. Many ambers get too powdery or too sweet but Voile d'Ambre is nicely balanced in both these categories, with the balsamic elements featuring more prominently.

Voile d'Ambre hovers close to me so much so that I really have to stick my nose to my skin in order to smell it after the first two hours. The longevity fares a bit better, I can detect it up to around six hours. Overall, a nice scent for those just starting to venture into the oriental section of fragrances and those who prefer gossamer-like fragrances in general. 

Tango Masque

Desirability: Decant

Source: luckyscent

Phwoar...talk about heady and intoxicating, Tango just blazed its way onto my want list and I want this in a seriously bad way. Fragrantica lists this as an oriental floral but it wears like a spicy oriental on me, where have all the flowers gone? 

Cumin. Cumin. Cumin. Cloves. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Cumin. CUMIN. Cumin in all its wanton sweaty glory, attractive or repulsive depending on whether you like it. Boozy, bold, exotic and rich, Tango has me in a cinch, make that a steaming hot passionate cinch. It continues to smoulder all the way to its drydown, a warm, dense and sweet amber base with resins and dry wood heaped on the molten fire. Monstrous projection and longevity. Sexy beast. 

Isis Agonist

Desirability: Full bottle

Source: www.parfumaniya.com.ua

High quality gourmand oriental. 

A potent gourmand that on the superficial level smells mostly of caramel, vanilla and in proportions of 40/40/20. Digging deeper I sniff out more ingredients that make up Isis. There's a spicy herbal-ness that breaks through the thick blanket of sweetness created by the three dominant players and tosses a zingy twist into what might have been a tedious trip with yet another confection in a bottle.   

The opening might have been loud and boisterous but the drydown of Isis is another ball game altogether. What started as a super smooth candy with a spicy edge morphs into a glowing amber of warm resins and ripe fruits- I smell the fuzzy skins of peaches and the citruses from earlier still lingering. The caramel isn't as strong any more but the combination of the resins and fruits make me think of the burnt orange-brown colour of caramelized cake tops.The distant drydown is a snuggly amber tinted vanilla that although has none of the volubility of the opening, nonetheless is still easily discernible even after a full twenty-four hours.     

Isis would be repulsive for those who do not care for sweet treats but if given a chance, it evolves from its gourmand roots and proceeds to dip its toes into the warm and sensual territory belonging to oriental fragrances. This far along my discoveries, Isis is probably the best caramel dominant scent that boasts and delivers more than just caramel, unlike my unlucky experience with the multiple notes yet smelling of 100% caramel Versilia Aurum. It's all down to chemistry. 

La Collection Couturier Parfumeur Mitzah Christian Dior

Desirability: Sample

Source: parfumglamour.com

Luxurious. 

Mitzah is a perfect ensemble of well-loved notes including patchouli, incense, labdanum and spices both sweet and well, spicy. 

A seamless blend of spices and deep amber colours reminiscent of the oriental perfumes from Serge Lutens but toned down a few notches in terms of spiciness, the sweet resinous labdanum of Habanita L'Esprit, the dark and soulful patchouli of Mazzolari's Lei. Smooth and dreamy, more on the feminine side, Mitzah is like the rich glowing colours of precious stones set in lavish Byzantine jewelry. 

Source: socialsciencesalpajes.wordpress.com

The only problem with Mitzah is it shares similarities with a few perfumes I have, so at this point I can't justify getting a full bottle, discontinued or not. Which is a good thing, my bank account reminds me in consolation. 

Bouquet Ideale Xerjoff

Source: www.coccio.de

Having more perfume than I could finish in several lifetimes, I try to purchase new scents in the smallest size bottles possible. Which is why I'm very pleased that Xerjoff has both the Oud Stars collection as well as the "female" Casamorati scents in discovery boxes at reasonable prices. 

I smell no flowers in Bouquet Ideale. No matter. It's very yummy from beginning to end, if you like all-fattening, no calories spared vanilla that is. The opening is dry, spicy and sweet but the aridness of the festive spices disappears quickly to be replaced by a thick, creamy almond and vanilla combination that cannot fail to conjure up images of sinful desserts. As if one is indulging more than the vice of gluttony, there is a rich and aromatic pipe tobacco scent in the background which adds to the decadence of the scent. There are soft woody notes and warm musky undertones in its drydown and overall it feels quite linear, a tobacco vanilla lightly laced with spices, woods and musk. Beautiful and alluring.

Average projection and good longevity, unless you are a man who adores his sweets and can wear them with aplomb, I find this more suited to women, there's something playful even flirty about Bouquet Ideale, irresistible feminine wiles for every woman's arsenal.

Lulu, Pandora's Box. Source: wn.com

Le Parfum Couture M. Micallef

Desirability: Full Bottle

Micallef does sexy beast.

A far cry from the juicy fruity floral scents that I've tried from Micallef so far and I'm totally loving it. Fans of dark roses with some kink would want to try this, it's a sibling of Frederic Malle's Portrait of a Lady, Ex Idolo Thirty-three and the rest of their alluring kind. 

Sweet, spicy, unrepentantly sexy, velvety rose that starts oh so very animalic as if a big cat just rolled in the rose bushes thinking it was catnip. After the animal gets off the trampled flowers, the smell of spiced woods comes in and mingles with the rose scent, becoming a peppery rose and woody scent. In the dry down, the spicy notes become less obvious but the rose and wood notes prevail and are joined by a warm, salty, musky smell that I've come to associate with ambergris. Average projection and longevity was about six hours on me. The black floral lace stocking material covering the heavy glass bottle gives you a bold hint to the va va voom inside.

Not the most awesome music video, but I'm putting this here for the music which goes well with this Micallef. Those who watched Empire Records would remember this one :)

Cristina Hilde Soliani

Source: Luckyscent

I fell in love with a sample of Cristina that was thoughtfully included in a perfume parcel from a fragrant friend who knows what a "patch head" I am. She was right, I loved Cristina from the first wearing and despite the patchouli department of my wardrobe being well-stocked, I had to have it. I mean, after reaching a certain number of bottles, does another one really matter any more? :)

  Patchouli has so many different faces ranging from hippie to haughty and Cristina seems to embody most of them although the most apt description would be that of a oriental gourmand, the vanilla flavoured buttery white chocolate that eluded me in Chanel's Les Exclusifs Coromandel standing out clearly in Cristina. Also present in Cristina is the woody and dark soil aspect of patchouli like in Jovoy's Psychedelique or Histoires de Parfums Noir Patchouli and a creamy nuttiness like in Montale's Patchouli Leaves, all these mixed with a heady caramelized resinous syrup.

Despite its potent richness, Cristina like other Hilde Soliani fragrances I have tried, does not come across as heavy but instead is like a soft cloud that drifts lazily about you. 

Ambre Fétiche Annick Goutal

Ambre Fétiche is a soft and feminine amber that smells like a cross between Serge Lutens' Ambre Sultan and an incense from the Series 3 Incense of Comme des Garcons, I'm thinking in particular of Jaisalmer.

It may lack the acrid dryness of the Lutens which makes Ambre Sultan the desert wind Chergui wants to be and may be considered a wimp by the likes of the robust, one-drink-too-many Amber Russe but although Ambre Fétiche is mild in nature it still has more character and more "amber" than I get from copious spraying of L'Artisan's Ambre Extreme which is too minimalistic for me. 

Ambre Fétiche is sweet, woody and earthy...as any good amber should be :) The warm reddish-brown deep glow of the fossilized tree resin represented by sweet and creamy vanilla with a smoky, smooth blend of resins. A linear, balmy Oriental that creates an atmosphere all snugly warm and comfortable. Compared to other ambers, it's more delicate and fuzzy and would be a nice introduction to Orientals or amber scents. Not too strong and the longevity could be much improved but overall a nice and cozy scent. 

Captured in Amber En Voyage Perfumes

Source: www.basenotes.net

En Voyage Perfumes was founded by perfumer Shelley Waddington who is also the owner of The Carmel Perfumery ( so far I've tried and enjoyed both Zelda and Peche Noir). Captured in Amber is part of her Souvenir de Chocolat Coffret containing Café Cacoa, Indigo Vanilla, Captured in Amber, each 4ml of parfum extraits according to the website( the label on my bottles state eau de parfum but the scents feel more oily like extraits rather than EDP). The scents were created to be worn alone or layered/combined so that customers can create their own scents. 

Source: www.envoyageperfumes.com

All three are lovely fragrances but Café Cacoa and Captured in Amber are my favorites in that order and I've labelled them fraternal twins as they both share a similar chocolate and ambergris DNA. Captured in Amber is a gourmand amber, built on what smells like a mouthwatering 50% dark chocolate that's so realistic it feels as if I'm really about to sink my teeth into it. The ambergris that played a smaller role in Café Cacoa is more dominant in Captured in Amber, a salty-sweet marine musk is how I would describe it, marine like how washed up seaweed on a beach smells like with a  distinct salty-sweet bodily musk that I've come to attribute to ambergris. 

This animalic, comforting-yet-oddly-sensual musk in Captured in Amber reminds me of Stoned by Solange Azagury-Patridge/Lyn Harris which further reminds me of treasured scents such as  Musc Ravageur from Frederic Malle and L'air de Rien by Miller Harris, all of which share the same vibe of expensive and naughty, carnal but not as dark and dirty like Kiehl's Original Musk or Serge Lutens' Musc Koublai Khan. 

As the scent progresses, the dark chocolate melts into the background and leaves the amber further in the spotlight, now sharing the focus with the musk, balmy resins and a buttery suede. Leaving aside that it's opening notes could trigger hunger pangs and cravings, Captured in Amber is a warm and soothing scent like a purring cat spreading waves of contentment as it snoozes on your lap. 

1969 Parfum de Revolte Histoires de Parfums

Source: www.ufgrangehall.com

1969 was the first perfume I owned from Histoires de Parfums and it entered my life around the beginning of my entry into the "niche" world of perfumes other than Serge Lutens. In contrast to some of my early buys, I've grown to enjoy and appreciate it more than my inexperienced nose ever did before. 

Where before my green self could only smell a fruity chocolate, I now think of it as alluring and spicy, the gourmand notes still present but intertwined with newly recognised notes, 1969 has grown in attraction, the good projection and longevity being plus points as well. Cloves, cardamom and licorice dominate the opening, spicy, herbal and thoroughly invigorating. A fuzzy soft peach and sweet, fresh roses appear after half an hour of wear, the spiciness abating with their appearance but the scent still retains its oriental nature, warm and sensual. 

After the fruit and floral notes are settled in, a dark semi-sweet chocolate emerges and 1969 becomes smoother and creamy, a spiced chocolate that smells different to Arquiste's Anima Dulcis, another spicy chocolate that I adore. The spice in Anima Dulcis smells like how chili tastes or smells, raw, sharp and fiery whereas the spiciness in 1969 are the unmistakeable cardamom and cloves, aromatic with a slightly peppery tickle to the nostrils, the combination of both spices makes me think of mulled wine and Turkish coffee! 

As 1969 dries further, the spices remain as a lingering pleasant aftertaste and leave a rosy sweet and musky dark chocolate behind. Anima Dulcis on the hand becomes a powdery chili chocolate in its drydown, the makings of a comforting mug of spiced cocoa. Both scents are utterly blissful in their own way but I find 1969 a tad seductive with her sweet bits and spicy muskiness, the earthy patchouli in the drydown adding some darkness to her already interesting nature. Anima Dulcis on the other hand is more like her name, a genuinely "sweet soul" that is relatively uncomplicated chili and chocolate, what you see (on the note list) is what you get. 

Plum Japonais Tom Ford

Source: Luckyscent

Plum Japonais bears some relation to how CHOYA Umeshu tastes, the delicious Japanese liquor with its unique flavour, a thick almost syrupy plum booze that's assuredly potent despite its sweetness. The scent is a recipe calling for succulent plums that are so ripe they have a lightly fermented booziness and a scoop of dried plum preserves with its rich jammy character. Then a light dash of mixed spices in a sauce made up of sweet woods and warm resins, with immortelle adding a dribble of maple syrup and then letting it simmer in its juices and thicken.

This baby of mixed parentage (Oriental and Fruity minus floral) doesn't evolve much on me but has a nuclear strength projection and longevity.  Both luxurious and luscious, Plum Japonais smells like its price tag, expensive plum booze.

02 L`Air du Desert Marocain Tauer

Source: www.tauerperfumes.com

This smells like a sibling to one of Lutens' oriental scents like Ambre Sultan. A potent dry and spicy wind. POTENT, you have been warned, I've heard humorous stories on how people have cleared gym locker rooms and crèche facilities from overapplication.

For me, L`Air du Desert Marocain is more of a desert wind than Serge Lutens' Chergui, Chergui being a rich honeyed tobacco on me whereas L`Air du Desert Marocain conveys the dry and dusty vibe of a desert. Instead of being desiccatingly hot like the Sharqi, L`Air du Desert Marocain's warmth comes from its rich spices( the cumin stands out for me), the incense smoke, the sweet amber and resins, woody notes and a bit of animal. The different parts of the scent swirl lazily around each other, initially the dry spices are more obvious and later on the smoky resins and woody notes are more apparent, but throughout its lifetime the scent keeps whirling to show you a different face each time you inhale.

Well-crafted, deep and mysterious, L`Air du Desert Marocain takes you on a journey like Aladdin's magic carpet through familiar notes but in a unique formula. Fantastic sillage and longevity, if you love oriental scents, you must try this. 

Battito d`Ali Profumum Roma

Source: www.profumum.com

Battito d'Ali. The beating of wings.

That Profumum Roma fragrances are of good quality and amazing longevity if not always sillage, (I'm thinking my almost love Dulcis in Fundo) cannot be disputed. However there is enough overlap with existing fragrances from other brands that so far I've only added Vanitas to my closet.

Vanitas may soon be joined by Battito d'Ali.

I was in a bitter chocolate/cacao mood one day and Battito d'Ali was recommended for a cacao scent. On me it's more about orange blossoms than cacao. I love orange blossoms, be they ethereal and dainty, soapy or skanky. I had been satiated for a little over a year but I recently reignited my search for new orange blossoms to fall in love with. I tried Love by Kilian which was a total candied orange blossom that was too sweet for even my gourmand-inclined tastes. Then came Battito d'Ali and her dreamy self.

Battito d'Ali isn't a dainty orange blossom like Elie Saab's Le Parfum, not a chic one like Maison Francis Kurkdjian's APOM Pour Femme nor is it heady like Luten's Fleurs d'Oranger. It doesn't have the salty sweetness of Tauer's intriguing Orange Star nor the honeyed sweetness of L'Artisan's Seville a l'aube. It's a citrus-tinged white floral that balances the sweetness of a creamy vanilla with the bitter smokiness of myrrh. Starting a little like a candied orange blossom, the sugary beginning dissipates and the scent evolves into a bittersweet balmy treasure that stays close to the skin and lasts what seems forever and a day.

I'm missing the cacao note that many have mentioned, on me Battito d'Ali started out as a gourmand white floral and blossomed into a heavenly soft oriental. Quite otherworldly.

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

Lei, Mazzolari

I've had the pleasure of Lei's company for a number of times and can't decide yet if it will develop into a full relationship. 

I adore patchouli in all its various characters and Lei is chock-full of patchouli, sweet, earthy and dark. I don't smell chocolate or cacao but Lei smells like a chocolate brown to me, something in the spectrum of Serge Lutens' Chergui with its amber hues, not Lei's own pale gold liquid. 

Further contributions to the warm brown imagery, come from the labdanum and vetiver. The vetiver is smoky and woody, like how it smells in Le Labo's Vetyver 46. Labdanum is a multi-faceted gem and in Lei, it plays a role in the balmy quality of the scent, further introducing a leathery note that adds to the alluring glow of Lei. It truly is an oriental scent from the first sniff. 

Lei dries to a citrus-tinged, woody vanilla base, that's as snug as a bug and reminds me of the dry down of Guerlain's Shalimar. It is because of this similarity to Shalimar that makes me wonder if I need Lei in my life. Lei has a bitterness that is downplayed by its overall sweetness whereas Shalimar is a sublime, smoky vanilla without any bitterness. 

The scent projects well from my skin for the first four hours and subsequently remains as a skin scent for much longer.