Coco Eau de Parfum: Busy Bee Hell of a Fragrance

Coco Eau de Parfum by Chanel
Amber Spicy
Jacques Polge

We go back in time to 1984 in order to explore the beauty and class of Coco Eau de Parfum by Chanel. The nickname of Gabrielle Chanel Coco, meaning “darling”, goes back to her past when she was cabaret singing. This is where the daring and provocative side of Coco EDP comes to light. Coco is an elegant timeless classic, and it does go hand in hand with the Chanel philosophy but there is an oriental sensual twist to that.

Coco has the typical busy structure as many other perfumes born in the 80’s. Louds of loud flowers, we have rose, orange blossom, y-lang y-lang, jasmine and mimosa. Many amber female fragrances from that time also contained peach, Coco included. This its where the sweet creaminess comes from.

There are amber, sandalwood, tonka, vanilla and labdanum in the base. We cannot forget about civet which is the byproduct of anal glands of civet cats. The civet smell is an animalic, dirty ambery aroma which emphases and warms up the scent of flowers. Using civet is banned now for obvious ethical reasons and is produced in a lab.

To give you a better idea of how civet smells, would be trying Shalimar by Guerlain. Here the civet note comes off even more tenaciously. Coco has that musky dirtiness to an extend but that is largely beat by spices used in the concoction like coriander, cloves and opoponax. It is a busy bee hell of a fragrance but somehow it all works astonishingly well together.

The experience of wearing Coco is pretty amazing even in 2024. If you are a very modern light-hearted chick, I recommend at least getting a sample of Coco to make sure you are not missing out.

Cherry Punk Room 1015: Shut The Front Door

Cherry Punk by Room 1015
Amber Spicy
Jerome Epinette

Guys, this is a strong stuff lingering very well. That is the first thing that comes to my mind. I smell cherry – leather – and musk. Unisex, sexy and decadent. It smells like a cheeky party.

I think we all have the image of the same chic wearing Cherry Punk. She is an edgy fierce platinum blond, slim and attractive with what the hell attitude. If you are a sucker for creamy dark cherry in fragrances, this is on another level. It is deeper, darker, more sensual than Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry. It is not a gourmand but the scent has an underlining sweetness.

Cherry Punk brings me back to England in 2009. I see the individualistic myself. Young wild and free. No money no class but pockets full of dreams and energy to fullfil them. With my black leather jacket on, bleached blond hair, heavy make-up partying with friends outside our apartment, smoking weed and thinking the world is ours. Nothing can beat that.

Based on that, Cherry Punk is an evening event scent and me, being a homey now 15 years later, I am okay with just having a small bottle. But, if you are a party animal and live up to that looks and attitude, Cherry Punk is yours. Just do it!

Rivière Thameen: Ambivalent Leather

Rivière by Thameen
Amber Spicy
Julia Rodriguez Pastor

Rivière is a strong leather fragrance, definitely male oriented, with hints of saffron and black pepper. On a man’s man, it can actually be quite sexy. Only few women could pull this off. It’s Britney bitch, work bitch. That type of vibe.

If you like your hefty leather, it is a good piece. But not as pure and precious as Falcon Leather by Matiere Premiere. Falcon Leather is a different story. I do not know any other leather which could top that. Although combined with florals, the combination of leather and aromatics like sage and black pepper makes Rivière rough and masculine.

Rivière is not a bottle I would consider buying for myself and to be honest, for my husband or any other man in my family. I simply believe there are other leathers on the market that are carnal, clean and addictive in comparison to Rivière. I am very particular with leather and this British leather did not steal my heart.  

Arizona Bloom: Summer Done Differently

Arizona Bloom by Floral Street
Amber Spicy
Jérôme Epinette

Arizona Bloom is interesting. It is not your sunny yellow floral as the design on the bottle suggests. It is rather dry powdery coconut. The fragrance smells clean and musky.

It is a strange experience on the skin but I like it. It is similar to Dolce Garden by Dolce&Gabanna but of course, Dolce Garden is sweeter and friendlier. Dolce Garden is a pretty girl, Arizona Bloom is a bloke on beach with dreadlocks.

Unisex and unassuming. I enjoy the vibe. It is a different summer perfume. The used coconut is high quality Balinese coconut which is creamy and fresh. It does not smell stuffy as coconut sometimes does.

Arizona Bloom feels strange at first glance but it deserves your attention, boy or girl. It is a vegan scent with superb ingrediencies. Be patient. The aroma is addictive and more easy going with time. It is a special one.

Lineage: Navigating the Fragrant Odyssey of Oman’s Masirah Island

Lineage by Amouage
Amber Spicy
Karine Vinchon Spehner

The marketing campaign of Lineage is definitely promising. A spicy, aquatic, mineral heaven. The scent of travelling far from home to get closer to yourself. How poetic!

Lineage represents Masirah a deserted island of Oman where you break free of your every day life. It is about Omani freedom in the sense of peace and quiet, desserts, sun, ocean and shores. Sounds like a dream, a place to be.

do respect Oman for its incense and oud but Lineage does not do it for me. At least not for now. I have heart it is a scent you have to get used to. There are plenty of olibanum and myrrh which is difficult to deal with.

It is a complicated mineral summer fragrance, similar to Blue Turquoise by Armani Prive. It is not a power beast, its presence is quiet, yet detectable. The problem is I am not actually quite decided if its presence is pleasant, or not. It is exactly in the middle for me. I do not get much marine freshness as you know from Eden Rock by Christian Dior or Sailing Day by Maison Martin Margiela. It is far from the typical French perfumery.

With that being said, Lineage is incredibly unique smelling and not for everybody. Do not expect any touches of sweetness or femininity. It is mineral, incense-like, free-spirited and genderless. You do need an open mind to truly appreciate this perfume.

Tonka Cola: A Sweet Delight from Mancera

Tonka Cola by Mancera
Amber Spicy

Tonka Cola is the first fragrance from Mancera I do enjoy. I love Cola-Cola with lemon and Tonka Cola is that, and much more.

So it has cherry, nutmeg, cola and lemon – all my favorite notes in one pot. It is a massive projector and definitely cuts through the cold. The fragrance is warm and comfortable at the same time, nothing intrusive nor offensive. It can be pulled off by perfume beginners. The lasting power is amazing too.

Tonka Cola is a nice surprise by this Middle Eastern house and I feel that many people sleep on it. Beware Instant Crush though. That one really did not vibe with me, but the rest, give it a go and for your opinion. Mancera is a niche house with novelty fragrance which are not going to break you bank. French Riviera next time? Maybe. We will see.

Gris Charnel: Professional, Captivating, Carnal

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.

Eau Duelle EDT: The Scent of Pouring Cats and Dogs

Eau Duelle Eau de Toilette by Diptyque
Amber Spicy
Fabrice Pellegrin

Eau Duelle EDT is a fresh spicy vanilla scent covered in incense. Apart from vanilla, cardamom, juniper, black tea, ambergris and saffron are also used. It is not as scary as it sounds. Eau Duelle is actually hard to dislike. It is surprisingly light and friendly. If you are in the niche game, Eau Duelle is not going to appear unique to your nose. It falls into the dual vanilla fragrance category in other words complicated vanillas. This happens when the vanilla note is not gourmand and is accompanied by an aromatic perfume aspect. Therefore Eau Duelle is in line with Vanille Insensee by Atelier Cologne or Gypsy Water by Byredo, to name a few. Vanille Insensee is smokier and deeper, Gypsy Water sweeter.

Eau Duelle is a great unisex choice for everyday use. People recommend it for fall and winter; however, I think it is a great all-year-round signature fragrance. Nonetheless, I must admit that fall suits the fashion of Eau Duelle the most. When I smell it, I feel the scent of pouring cats and dogs. A beautiful rainy day in a big European city. This bottle will get lots of love soon.

Remarkable People: Satin Elegance in Amber

Remarkable People by Etat Libre d’Orange
Amber Spicy
Cecile Matton

Remarkable People is an ambery spicy fragrance but incredibly light and sparkling. I am used to amber being warm, heavy and oriental. Remarkable People actually is a fresh scent. And that is what I love about Etat Libre d’Orange. They take a typical note profile, turn it upside down and twist it. As a result, you differentiate yourself from the crowd, but your scent is likeable and easily wearable. It is similar to Noel au Balcon by the same brand. Totally festive perfume which can be worn casually with jeans and a T-shirt.

Is Remarkable People a full bottle worthy? If you are a regular on alexaperfumes, you know I am not into ambery fragrances. Remarkable People is a remarkable dewy refreshing amber, but, in the end of the day, once amber – always amber. It is not a fragrance that calls my name, but as I said, absolutely doable amber.

However, if you are into amber and at the same time, you are sick of dense kitchen spices smells, enlighten your senses with Remarkable People. It is a sophisticated and uplifting niche fragrance with no harsh edges worth your attention.

Barkhane: Middle Eastern Desserts, Mountains and Coasts

Barkhane by Teo Cabanel
Amber Spicy

Barkhane is a male version of Alahine by Teo Cabanel. Less sweet, aromatic with animalic touches. It has an interesting mixture of heavy hitter notes including cumin, myrrh, or oud.

I love myrrh in my fragrances. It is a deep smoky yet aromatic spa-like smell. Surprisingly, I neither detect myrrh nor oud. The perfume is very well blended and creates this mysterious warm concoction of everything. It is as diverse as the 17 countries of the Middle East. If amber was my thing, I would choose Barkhame over Alahine despite being a woman. I find Barkhane less sweet and more contemporary.

I have grown to love coconut. I have grown to like leather in my fragrances. Amber is still a Spanish village to me. Something far away from my life fashion. I do not tend to visit often the Middle East region – a place I link amber with. I don’t know if I simply dislike amber as a scent, or, I don’t have the capacity to appreciate amber because the culture and climate are still quite new to me. I will give myself a break from amber fragrances for a while. And revisit later.