Musk Maliki: From The Garden To Your Living Room

Musk Maliki by Al Haramain Perfumes
Floral Woody Musk

Al Haramain is based in Saudi Arabia and makes fragrances for men and women. The scents are rich and opulent yet due to moderate prices available to wider audiences.

Musk Maliki claims to be 100% natural. You can expect a sharp citrus outburst, right in your face. It is not a sweet rounded feminine citrus that you get in Trussardi Donna but rather a fresh-spicy aromatic top with a masculine undertone. You definitely get a lot of lemon, violet, leaves and geranium at first but when the scent sits on your skin, it changes into a comfortable fluffy aura. I like this change because the opening could be almost too much for a genderless scent.

This violet dominant fragrance is unique to my collection. I do not have many violet perfumes to start with, but it is a note that is slowly growing on me. Musk Maliki fits spring and summer perfectly and remains strong throughout. It is a pleasant surprise if you are looking for an aromatic musky unisex aroma.

Zenne Nishane: Your Eastern Floral Fruity

Zenne by Nishane
Amber Floral
Jorge Lee

Nishane is a niche house from Instanbul, Turkey. They introduce original fragrances that are wearable enough to be popular with the general public. It is an ideal house to start with when you are transitioning from designer to niche.

Zenne is a unisex fruity vanilla scent with ambergris. If you are a rhubarb fan, you are going to love it. There is plenty of rhubarb in the opening together with black currant. The tanginess is balanced with rose, gardenia and sandalwood. The scent is based on vanilla and ambergris.

It is sweet, fresh and aromatic. There is something plastic or rubbery about it that makes the fragrance interesting. It smells different but not too different if you know what I mean jelly bean. If you are a teen or in your early twenties, you maybe not like it yet. It is an Extrait de Parfum – stronger than Eau de Parfum – so, get really for the ride!

Trussardi Donna Intense: A Special Place in My Heart

Trussardi Donna Eau de Parfum Intense by Trussardi
Amber Floral
Nathalie Lorson

Trussardi Donna 2011 started my infinite love for perfumes. I sniffed it in-store in 2015 and since then I was obsessed. It was the perfect balance between sour and sweet, ultimately elegant and feminine. After that, I tried the EDT version – there is more jasmine tea- and it is also really nice.

Later this year in 2022, I saw the Levriero “greyhound” collection and I knew I have to have it to recall the scent that initiated my fragrance journey. It is a special edition for collectors hence the greyhound cap. The smell is very similar to the original but the sourness is toned down and the sweetness intensified. There are water fruit, yuzu, jasmine tea, water lily, vanilla and sandalwood.

All the Trussardi Donnas are affordable likeable fragrances, white dress perfumes, best performing during spring and summer. With that being said, the fragrance community finds it too simple and almost too likeable, and there is something correct about it too. Nevertheless, I think that Donna has a character that still attracts the folks of today.

Girls Can Be Crazy: Good Fun for Coca-Cola Lovers

Girls Can Be Crazy by Zadig & Voltaire
Amber Vanilla
Quentin Bisch

Girls Can Be Crazy is not another sweet oriental. The distinct note of cola-cola makes it stand out from the crowd. The cola is well made; but, of course, you must enjoy the Coca-Cola’s smell.

It is pretty and sparkling. A Christmas party is an event when you can rock this fragrance, for example. It is amplified with tonka bean and vanilla yet it is a perfume for young fun-loving girls. The strength and staying power reflect the moderate price. You will get a solid five hours out of this.

If you do not take Girls Can Be Crazy too seriously, the name does not suggest it anyway, girl, you will have serious fun.

Pure Poison: A Citrusy Jasmine Power House

Pure Poison by Dior
Floral
Carlos Benaim, Dominique Ropion, Olivier Polge

If you like white flowers, Pure Poison is your gem. It was created in 2004, yet nothing is quite like it today. It is a jasmine bomb, amplified with gardenia, orange blossom, citrus notes and creamy sandalwood. It has a sharp opening yet creamy dry-down. It smells like clean sheets in a 5-star hotel.

We all know that white florals are beasts when it comes to lasting and projection. Their smell is lingering and intoxicating. The bottle design is mysterious and represents the juice inside well.

Pure Poison is worth trying because it smells very different to each and every one of us. Therefore, there is confusion about what is the right season and the occasion to rock it. Holy guacamole! It works in the dead heat of summer, on a hot date or when meeting the inlaws. Every time!

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit: A Marvelous Orchard

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit by Hermès
Aromatic Fruity
Jean-Claude Ellena

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit “A Garden on the Roof” was launched in 2011 and was inspired by the one and only Hermes garden at 24 Rue Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris. To my nose, it is an easy breezy green fruity scent yet elevated and grown-up. Hermes perfumes are pretty underrated in my opinion. What do you think?

Anyway. I picked it up based on quite a different agenda though. I have heard a rumour that it smells like freshly cut grass in hot weather. I love cutting grass, it is an activity that has an instant positive result by the way; but most importantly, I adore the smell. I enjoy Sur Le Toit very much. It is a great refreshing option for summer; however, I do not get the grass thing. It does not smell like cut grass, at least not to me. It is a much more approachable smell, I get the apple, a red one thanks god, and rosemary.

It is a lovely option age regardless. The fragrance is unisex as all the Jardins are; however, my husband said that he likes it a lot on me but he would not wear it. He thinks it is too sweet and light for him.

Vetyverio Eau de Toilette Diptyque: Where Nature Fails

Vetyverio by Diptyque
Floral Woody Musk
Olivier Pescheux

Maison Diptyque – legendary and innovative; but, most importantly made of raw materials, done manually in small batches. It is known for quality natural-smelling unisex scents.

Being passionate about vetiver fragrances I wanted to explore Vetyverio by Diptyque. Travel with me back in time to 2010 when this famous perfume was created. Vetyverio is a unique combination of vetiver and rose with a zesty opening full of juicy citruses and a spicy fragrance heart. You will find geranium, carrot seeds, nutmeg and clove. Vetiver is there silently laying in the background.

I give it points for originality. However, it has a fresh herbal element which, in fact, bothers me. I like simple herbal smells but here, combined with citrus, flowers and vetiver, I am perplexed. I would much rather see more of that vetiver and maybe a hint of sweetness. I can appreciate the craft, and the resources; nonetheless, it still does not smell good to me. It makes me feel nauseous.