thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it a lot. I have prepared the first bunch of perfume empties from 2024 for you. You know I do not take perfume purchases lightly and I am committed to use up my beloved fragrance bottles. If I seriously do not like a scent, I either return it or re-sell it as soon as possible. The most of my perfumes I am using and enjoying my life with them. Fragrance makes makes me feel alive!
Here, on my blog and YouTube channel, you can explore the journey with me. If you want to see Etat Libre d’Orange, Lancôme, Hermes, Dior and Ormonde Jayne and much more, keep on watching …
Gris Charnel by BDK Parfums Amber Spicy Mathilde Bijaoui
Who has not heard about Gris Charnel by BDK is not a member of the frag community. The fragrance was only released in 2019 yet it managed to win over the hearts and minds of niche perfume fanatics. As we know, grey can have many shades and can be carnal.
On men, Gris Charnel evaporates clean sophisticated and has almost cologne like vibes. However, on women it is a totally different story. A bold rich bitch. If Lisbeth Salander from the Millenium series wore perfume, it would be Gris Charnel. An edgy sandalwood dominant aroma accompanied by fig, cardamom, black tea and vetiver.
The original Gris Charnel is fresher and airier when the Extrait version is richer and thicker, even sweeter. If you want to turn heads, layering them is the right thing to do.
I wear Gris Charnel or Gris Charnel Extrait when I want to feel confident and be taken seriously. It is not a scent to mess around with. Neither sweet nor gourmand yet powerful and incredibly sexy.
Vanille Leather by BDK Parfums Amber Floral Dominique Ropion
The inclusion of BDK’s signature pink pepper at the top, followed by the transition to a combination of “fireplace, English club, cigars” vibes, sets a warm and sophisticated tone. The interplay of violet, sweet vanilla, and subdued leather creates a complex olfactory experience, and the touch of florals adds a feminine and elegant dimension.
So, if I am to summarize the overall feel of Vanille Leather, I smell vintage make-up (violet and orris) with a lot of vanilla sweetness and a tiny bit of darkness from leather. It is a feminine perfume for cold evenings to my nose, a little bit bolder than your stereotypical lipstick fragrances. It is totally wearable, not scary at all.
It carries the BDK’s name proudly; however, it is not a scent I need to add to my collection. I feel I already have enough of make-up, lipstick smelling fragrances. My recent purchase was Babylonia by Ormonde Jayne which perfectly fits into this category. If I am in a mood for leather, I prefer something more profound and true to leather like Falcon Leather by Matiere Premiere.
I would recommend Vanille Leather for you ladies who want to kill two birds with one stone, in other words, want both make-up and leather in one bottle. For you people down to earth who cannot/don’t want to own a big amount of perfumes.
I am a huge fan of David Benedek and BDK Parfums, especially of Gris Charnel Extrait. Pas Ce Soir is a spicy floral fruity to me with a soft cashmere base.
It is the type of fragrance that will be soon on my perfume empties tray. A, it is an easy everyday reach. B, it is not a powerhouse when it comes to both longevity and projection. You can spray and spray and get away with it even in indoor locations. I am not completely in love but it is juice which goes quickly for the reasons above.
It is a nice mix though, a pretty, sophisticated perfume you can wear all year round. Pas Сe Soir in translation means “Not tonight” which I find quite funny; and when thinking about it, it does have a playful naughty element to it.
So, ladies, if you like your juicy fruity scents but you want something more elevated, Pas Ce Soir is a great choice. It is not going to break your bank either and it is an aroma you can spray day-to-day here and there, and people will think you smell cute.
Crème de Cuir by BDK Parfums Leather Violaine Collas
A gentle leather fragrance with no animalic facets and sharp edges. If you are scared of leather perfumes in general, Crème de Cuir may be the right transition into this mystical world.
How come?! It is very clean leather without impurities. It smells like a new pair of suede shoes or a handbag. There are some fruity notes at the top but I do not sniff them. I do really get the soft suede, pink pepper and tiny sweetness from vanilla.
I think it is stunning. Day-time, night-time, comforting, easy to wear for men as well as for women. It is true that I have gotten on a leather kick only lately and I have not smelled every leather fragrance on the market. But compared to Bottega Veneta, Crème de Cuir is friendlier, smoother, and more soothing.
Although it is an approachable scent, the uniqueness and high quality are there. When a perfume ticks all those boxes, it is spectacular. BDK Parfums are not exactly inexpensive but they are on the lower end amongst reputable niche houses.
Tubereuse Imperiale by BDK Parfums Amber Cécile Matton
A bourgeois white floral-tuberose fragrance. If you love tuberose, you are going to enjoy Tubereuse Imperiale. It is definitely a great one among tuberose fragrances.
Tuberose has other floral competitors in this perfume like ylang-ylang, jasmine and iris; nevertheless, due to its heady and opulent quality, it is still the dominant of the composition. Right after a traditional rose, tuberose is the modernqueen of flowers in perfumery.
Together with other white florals like gardenia and jasmine, tuberose can get pretty polarising. The scent is so distinctive that you are either a “ride or die” fan or you hate it. I went through different phases of tuberose myself. Firstly, I did not pay attention to tuberose. When I was not into perfumes, I wore J’Adore by Dior and there is a tuberose and jasmine combo together with fruity notes, and I like it. I did not know how tuberose smells.
Later in 2015, I got more into perfume and I became a white floral lover. I liked the opulence and I reached for fragrances like Mon Jasmin Noir by Bvlgari, Jour d’Hermes, the original Michael Kors, White Patchouli by Tom Ford or 5th Avenue by Elizabeth Arden. Some of them I still like dearly. Then, in 2020, I enjoyed user-friendly tuberoses like My Way by Giorgio Armani or L’Interdit by Givenchy. However, recently, I trained my nose and a tuberose smell became something detectable, and predictable hence I must say I do not wear tuberose-forward fragrances unless I am testing them and this impacts my rating. If I were on a tuberose kick right now, the score would be higher. I am sorry, perfumes are subjective.
With that being said I still think that tuberose is a bright tropical creamy floral that can work for many men and women. Plus, Tubereuse Imperiale has vanilla and benzoin that sweeten the mixture and incense that adds a little bit of darkness and smokiness, and of course, all the other florals in a stunning blend.
Gris Charnel Extrait by BDK Parfums Woody Spicy Mathilde Bijaoui
Another experience with David Benedek! Gris Charnel Extrait and so as its predecessor Gris Charnel, explore Parisian sensuality. Whatever it means to be sensual in Paris by night, you will find it in Gris Charnel Extrait.
I am loving the cardamom that adds a gentle spiciness while fig brings a bit of a tangy kick to the combo. The base has rich and warm accords like sandalwood, vanilla, cedar and tonka. It is comforting, lux and sensual.
Let me picture you the scenario when I wore Gris Charnel Extrait and it came out beautifully. I went for dinner with my bestie, it was a freezing winter night. I know that she likes unisex slash masculine scents on women and that she has a thing for strong fragrances in general hence I was not afraid to put on such a powerhouse as Gris Charnel Extrait is. She could smell it, she complimented me right away and wanted to know the name of the fragrance. We could smell it the entire night, it did not have problems with the cold air. It is definitely something that you will not come across often. It is a perfume for someone who is into aromas and knows what to do with them.
Chris Charnel Extrait is a cold-climate night-time perfume for me the same way as for example Myrrh & Tonka by Jo Malone; therefore, I am giving it points down. There is a time and place for this; otherwise, it would be 10/10.
Bouquet de Hongrie by BDK Parfums Floral Serge Majoullier
The founder of BDK Parfums is only 32-year-old David Benedek, a Parisian of Romanian heritage. BDK is a family business, all its perfumes are authentic and real, tied to a particular moment from the past. While some perfumes are connected to the vibrant magic of Paris, others go back in time, to memories of David’s childhood. The price of the perfumes is niche; but luckily, on the lower side of the spectrum.
To me, Bouquet de Hongrie is a floral-musk scent. There are some bright fruits in the opening but they do not stay long. The fragrance soon settles to a rosy, jasminy heart combined with a soft musky undertone. She is a gentle romantic lady. I even imagine a beautiful ballerina. I like the scent. I see a breezy spring morning, a green park with pink flowers. Then I picture this happy couple, a soft-spoken lady with long brown hair blowing in the wind and a gentleman with a smile on his face and red cheeks. It is still chilly outside. They are relaxed, walking towards you and talking about something light and funny. You get a whiff of her perfume when she passes by. It is these soft musky flowers, powdery and pleasant … Bouquet de Hongrie. Spring is slowly but tenaciously approaching.
Yes, you got me on this. The jam is very similar to Chance Eau Tendre by Chanel. Rose, jasmine and musk. Exactly the same style. Nevertheless, Bouquet de Hongrie is less citrusy; but most importantly, has a better performance when it comes to both projection and longevity. So, if you are undecided and do not know which one to pick, go for BDK.
Pricewise, it is almost identical and you are going to get more from Bouquet de Hongrie. On top of that, it is always good to support an independent perfumer rather than a big established brand.
As far as my personal taste goes, this note profile is not my vibe. I acknowledge Eau Tendre and Bouquet de Hongrie as good floral musks but I would not buy a full bottle for myself just yet. However, they are definitely sort of smells that can grow on you. Nevertheless, I have learnt that BDK Parfums is a name to explore, so this is not the last bottle you are going to hear about on this blog.
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