Oman Rose: Enchanting Aroma of Mutrah Souq

Oman Rose by Mutrah Souq
Amber Floral

Oman Rose is my second purchase at the souq of Muscat when visiting Oman. It is soapy rose sweetened with vanilla, incredibly pleasant but different to the Western market. There is a similar mixture of spices Salahla has, hence the perfume oil has an edge, oriental feel.

Oman Rose is a sensual warm floral which preserves a dose of freshness. If you like sweet perfumes, you are going to enjoy Oman Rose. It is long lasting, suitable for dinner dates. I personally put Oman Rose on my fall/winter perfume tray but it is friendly enough to be pulled off during spring and summer too.

Oman Rose definitely brings me back to Muscat. There are rose fields nearby in Nizwa that are cultivated for perfumery. If you love perfume Oman is the place to go. The locals use fragrance extensively and the perfume shop assistants are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Do you like perfume tourism?

Vanille Leather BDK: A Leather Make-up Case

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.

Idôle Now: Twenty-First-Century Rose Vanilla Blend

Idôle Now by Lancôme
Amber Floral

Idole Now is the newest release by Lancome in the Idôle range. It is a rose orchid and vanilla perfume. A strong floral with a sweet vanilla base. A less innocent, more powerful version of the original Idôle from 2019. It is a solid release; however, there is something about the musky, light, airy rose that the original Idôle represents.

Idole Now is not fruity at all and feels more grown-up. I like Idôle Now, not as much as the OG, but it is a quality floral. If I got a full bottle from somebody as a gift, I would not be mad and would probably use it up. It is easy to wear every day. However, would I buy a bottle of Idôle Now myself? Oh, definitely not. I am not in love. I know a handful of rose fragrances that I personally prefer.

Prada La Femme: Everything You Need in One Fragrance

Prada La Femme by Prada
Amber Floral
Daniela (Roche) Andrier

I must shamefully admit that I slept on Prada La Femme for a long time. This fragrance was launched in 2016 and I thought all that time I did not need it. The reason why I was hesitant towards buying it was in fact, the prominence of honey in the fragrance. I was afraid it was going to be too sweet and too claggy for my personal taste. But luckily, in 2023, I realised I do need La Femme in my wardrobe and here is why.

The honey is there but it is actually one of the many things that make this scent so good. First of all, the flower choice is absolutely stunning. You get my favourite yellow flower frangipani, together with buttery ylang-ylang and tropical tuberose. The warmth of these florals is balanced with cold powdery iris tones which are so typical for Prada.

The aroma is tiny tiny oriental with some added spices. The beeswax though is the cherry on top and it does contribute to the overall sweetness. Prada La Femme is indeed a sweet fragrance but I find the honey aspect surprisingly lighter and somewhat more natural smelling than other components in sweet fragrances like caramel, tonka or benzoin.

The best part of Prada La Femme is its duality. It can be cheerful and carefree as well as incredibly classy and sophisticated. It has the standoffish Prada DNA we know from the private collection of Infusions; however, the honey and tropical florals introduce warmth and cosiness which is so comfortable and pleasant to wear.

I love this fragrance to bits. It does not remind me of anything else, maybe Mimosa & Cardamom by Jo Malone, a little bit but it still holds its head high, and has an admirable spirit and flair. A bottle for a confident independent woman.

Velvet Orchid: Black Orchid’s Cuter Younger Sibling

Velvet Orchid by Tom Ford
Amber Floral
Antoine Maisondieau, Calice Becker, Shyamala Maisondieu, Yann Vasnier

Black Orchid is a love. The mixture of truffle, white florals, spices, and dark chocolate together with patchouli and vanilla is heavenly. Mysterious, daring, edible and unisex in my opinion. (Although marketed towards women only.)

On the other hand, Velvet Orchid is feminine and as the name suggests smooth and velvety. It is still bold, sexy and old-school in a good way. I feel that fragrances were stronger, earthier and more animalic 10 years ago. Who knows?!

Velvet Orchid is rich, and full in texture. So many notes blend into one concoction. Rum adds a kick to otherwise a strictly floral heart. Myrrh and suede bring warmth and depth. There are hidden peru balsam and labdanum in the base. Just a tiny bit as it is far away from being an amber “kitchen spices” aroma. Good for me.

Velvet Orchid develops nicely on my skin. It does go sweet fluffy and inviting. It somehow reminds me of the super popular La Vie Est Belle by Lancome but a sophisticated and luxurious version.

However, there is room for improvement. Because of its vampy nature, I would welcome more rose absolute in the mixture. A small rosy dose is present; nevertheless, more of a rose accord would make it femme fatale, worthy of competition with its gothic predecessor.

Soleil Vibrant: Dark Orange Chocolate Under the Sun

Soleil Vibrant by Lalique
Amber Floral
Alexandra Monet and Nathalie Lorson

Soleil Vibrant smells like a bar of chocolate, the one with orange pieces in it, and it is all touched by the sun. The original Soleil is gourmand, Vibrant is more energetic, uplifting and citrusy.

It is gorgeous. The more it sits, the sweeter and juicier it becomes. It is definitely true that some fragrances need to sit before they become good. So, do not rush your declutters. I think it is always better to give perfume a chance because it may grow on you later.

Fruity vanilla but florals are there too. Orange blossom is particularly lovely in this mixture. Not many places sell this fragrance but if you spot it, pick it up. Not many people will wear Vibrant this summer, so you are going to smell unlike everybody else on your holiday. It is also fairly affordable and I reckon many people sleep on Lalique fragrances, I have no idea why. I need to try more of them.

Alahine: On the Way to Search My Soul

Alahine by Teo Cabanel
Amber Floral
Jean-Francois Latty

Alahine is a feminine oriental amber fragrance inspired by Mexican vibrations and gastronomy.

To my nose, the fragrance is warm spicy ambery with a noticeable sweetness which makes it a feminine composition. I would not associate the vibe of the fragrance with Mexico. When you say Mexico I imagine colours, laughter, and dancing and Alahine does not portray that in my opinion. I see food markets in Marocco or Egypt and dunes more than anything else.

It is not a fragrance a teenager would wear but rather a well-travelled experienced lady. Personally, it is definitely not my jam. You have to adore amber perfumes and you must like them sweet. If you are into this scent profile, then you can rock Alahine in summer or winter. Being longer in the perfume game is a plus because then you will appreciate the layers and corners of this complex perfume.

Not bad but not for me. If you want to venture into oriental amber, I recommend trying Alahine at least as a point of reference.

Ambre Nue: Not a Serious Amber Contestant

Ambre Nue by Atelier Cologne
Amber Floral

I don’t tend to gravitate towards amber fragrances at all, actually but I enjoy amber as a supporting actor. I fancy floral compositions with a warm ambery base.

Ambre Nue is an amber scent with warm spices. I don’t know if it was ever made to be worn as a singular fragrance because, to me, it smells unfinished and self-proclaimed naked. If you layer your fragrances, here you have a base amber aroma. If you add one of the Atelier Cologne’s great citruses and a hint of their dry vanilla, you might get an exciting combo.

At this stage of my life when I am busy with my kids I am not going to layer extensively, I either like a bottle of juice or I don’t. Ambre Nue falls into the latter category. I have been testing more amber perfumes recently to see if I am able to turn the page and find an amber scent I absolutely adore. Ambre Nue is not a runner-up. I don’t recommend it unless you are a collector and want to layer it with other AC perfumes.

Prada Paradoxe: Lush Jasmine Touching the Orient

Prada Paradoxe by Prada
Amber Floral
Antoine Maisondieu, Nadege Le Garlantezec, Shyamala Maisondieu

Prada Paradoxe is a new highly expected release from the house of Prada. I love the name Paradoxe and will tell you what I find paradoxical about the fragrance.

It has three dimensions to my nose. The first is notes accumulated around citrus – tangerine, bergamot, orange blossom, neroli – therefore, you sniff this zesty almost bitter fruity aroma. And it is summery and energising!

Then it is all about intoxicating jasmine – you must like opulent jasmine to enjoy it. The last dimension consists of a solid base of sturdy notes like vanilla, amber, white musk and benzoin. The dry-down brings incredibly sweet and warm goodness. It gives the fragrance strength and depth of what would otherwise be an indolic floral.

Prada Paradoxe is effervescent from the citruses and orange flowers yet balsamic, resinous and comforting from the amber base. I am a perfume enthusiast who appreciates orange blossom and neroli but I am not into straight-up amber fragrances. It is paradoxical but amber blended with citruses and jasmine is divine in Prada Paradoxe. It is like a man and a woman, jin and jang, two seemingly opposite characters yet they cannot be without each other.

I am not decided if I am going to rock this scent in hot or cold weather. I think I will wear it in both. The transition periods would be perfect, or even summer nights.

Yeah, you have to put on the skin and let it mix with your chemistry. It is pretty after a while when it sits. Rome was not built in a day and so does this perfume needs time and warmth to develop properly. Once it is there, it projects like crazy. You get your money worth it. I am impressed with this designer release.

Miss Dior 2021: Doll-like Iris and Vanilla

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum (2021) by Dior
Amber Floral
Francois Demachy

I have been a fan of Miss Dior fragrances since I don’t know when. Miss Dior Cherie with the popcorn note was great. I also liked Miss Dior 2017 and its flanker Absolutely Blooming. It has always been an orange-rose-patchouli composition, timeless and elegant for all ages. The perfumes projected and lasted and were highly recognisable. You knew that someone wore Miss Dior.

Of course, I was curious about the new 2021 formulation. The scent is meant to be accustomed to Southeast Asian women where the climate is very different to the European. A rebranding also played a role. Long story short I dislike the new formula. It is an entirely different fragrance. Nothing I know or remember about Miss Dior.

The punchy citrus and patchouli are gone. We have iris instead which brings a lot of powderiness, an indifferent heart – a weird mixture of fruits and flowers and a ton of vanilla in the heart. Light powdery vanilla with some florals if I have to classify it. Not unpleasant but totally uninteresting with no kick. I felt pretty dull when I made this a scent of the day.

I thought I was going to be different and would not enter the wagon full of haters but as you can see I joined the critique discourse of Miss Dior 2021. I am sorry, this blog is about sharing my experience with fragrances which of course can be subjective but with Miss Dior, it is what it is. I really wanted to like it.