Carved Oud is Thameen’s bestseller and the truth is it is a mesmerizing extrait. It is a clean oud and cedar scent with warm spicy nuances of cardamom and pink pepper. The base is warmed up by amber and vanilla; however, the juice is not sweet whatsoever.
It is a very elegant aroma on a man and an attractive trail on a woman. It flows in the same direction as Gris Charnel Extrait by BDK. If you are afraid of strong oriental ouds, relax, the oud here is subdued, user friendly. With that being said, it is still a fragrance for colder months and preferably afternoons and nights. If you wear Carved Oud the first thing in the morning, you are probably living in an Arabic country.
I do not have many oud fragrances in my collection. Actually, do I have any oud in my wardrobe at all? Not an oud-centric bottle for sure. MFK’s ouds did not sit well with me. I found them heavy and masculine. Carved Oud would be a perfect oud pioneer.
I will tell you one thing. The Hope smells like Christmas to me. Beautiful alluring rich Christmas. It has a spicy yet mild opening of cinnamon, cloves and myrrh. I love all of these so it cannot get better than that. There is cedar, immortelle and oud in the heart. Do not be afraid of the oud note. I would never tell it is an oud fragrance. The base is resinous and ambery.
For me, The Hope is all about the Xmas spices. It has these heavy hitter notes but in fact, it is effervescent and soft. If you know Noel Au Balcon by ELDO, The Hope smells similar. And better! It is sweeter and the spices are more pronounced. It would also be a good scent for layering. If you love the “so this is Christmas” perfume DNA, The Hope by Thameen is a serious contender to consider.
Coromandel Eau de Parfum by Chanel Amber Woody Jacques Polge
Amber – kitchen spices – sweet warmth. Not my style. The smell is much more bitter on the paper which I actually prefer. My skin eats bitter oranges and citruses, unfortunately. On paper, it stays ambery, punchy and strong.
It is an oriental woody scent for fall and winter, but don’t be scared of the word “oriental” in this case. It is still French perfumery hence it is European oriental rather than truly Middle-eastern. If you are into spicy warm amber, Coromandel is a nice quality blend which is going to take you through the day. Test it on your skin first to see how it performs, and whether the notes come through in the way and intensity you want them or not.
Personally, I would not wear Coromandel but I would not mind smelling it on my husband. With that being said, I would not mind, I would not be head over heels about it. That is that.
Lovefest Burning Cherry | 48 by Kayali Amber Woody Gabriela Chelariu and Philippine Courtiere
I love Lost Cherry by Tom Ford. Based on the advertising and notes, Lovefest Burning Cherry should be my alley. And yes sir, it is!
The fragrance is about juicy beautiful cherry, palo santo and tonka. Lost Cherry smells like cherry booze. Lovefest is more about the actual cherry with a palo santo base. I am enjoying tremendously the woody component of the fragrance. The wood is light with an effervescent quality.
If you do not want to splash the cash on the very expensive Tom Ford fragrance, Kayali is a great alternative. It is definitely more affordable and the scent is not exactly the same but close enough. I may even prefer Lovefest. I am pleasantly surprised, I did not think it is going to be so good.
The only downfall is faint longevity and sillage but that is common with cherry-centric perfumes. Lovefest Burning Cherry is a lovely cherry scent with a woody undertone for an exceptional lady.
Santal Austral by Matiere Premiere Amber Woody Aurelien Guichard
I have grown to like sandalwood fragrances. I enjoy White Sandalwoody by Goldfield & Banks Australia, to give you an example. Aurelien Guichard’s Santal Austral is better than that. It presents sandalwoodat its sweetest and creamiest. It is woody yet gentle and can be worn all year round. Cosy, inviting and fresh at the same time. The scent would do a great job on a man as well as a woman.
If you like woodsy Santal compositions, it is a safe blind buy. This is the friendliest Matiere Premiere I have tried so far. I can easily own a full bottle and use it all up. A gorgeous, straightforward well-crafted perfume.
ALIVE EAU DE PARFUM: A Universally Likeable Fruity Vanilla Perfume
Woody Aromatic Annick Menardo
A fruity vanilla scent – plum, apple, and black currant is melting together with your vanilla. There are cinnamon and thyme added to the mixture for an extra kick. The perfume is grounded in sandalwood, cedar and olive tree. When looking at the notes, you think, hmmm, that must smell yummy and outstanding, and yes, it is an all-year rounder type of fragrance. Alive is juicy and warm with some nice touches of physicality, yet it does not knock my socks off. It is a more refined and spicier Christina Aquilera fragrance. The more scents I try, the pickier I am. My apologies.
ALIVE INTENSE EAU DE PARFUM:An Appealing Jammy Raspberry Flanker
Amber Woody
The top is fueled with pretty detectable raspberry. I find a similarity to La Vie Est Belle Intensement by Lancome. I could almost swear I smelled iris too, but apparently, there is vetiver instead. The whole composition is sweetened and deepened with benzoin which is quite enjoyable. It is a sensual combo, yet it does not reach the qualities and eroticism of the Lancome beauty. If you are not on a strict budget, get La Vie Est Belle Instensement. It is levelled up.
ALIVE EAU DE TOILETTE:A Watered Down Summery Version of Alive
Floral Honorine Blanc and Marie Salamagne
Guys, common. What is this? A burst of apple and orange toned down with jasmine and may rose, balanced with some standard woods and moss? Fruity – floral – woody, meaning I am tired of this profile. There is nothing outrageous about it except that it does not last. Why would you take the original Alive which is already light, and make something even lighter? It is a fresh, watered aroma with no potency. I know I know, it is common to make an EDT after you have done EDP intense, so business-wise, it makes sense. At the end of the day, you can spray it on your way to the gym or work when your goal is to fit in with no intention of being remembered.
Whispers in the Library by Maison Martin Margiela Amber Woody
This EDT is meant to replicate an aroma presented in a library, Oxford 1997. The scent consists of vanilla and wood which evoke old sheets of paper, leather, and woody bookcases. What an inspirational mystical atmosphere!
It does remind me of a scene from a french movie The crimson rivers (Les rivières pourpres). It is when Jean Reno enters a university library and seeks there for clues to solve his case. It is a beautiful ancient library full of knowledge-hungry students. But there is something off. Whispers in the Library captures that moment perfectly. It is woody, waxy and sweet.
An easy-to-wear unisex scent yet there is something strongly mysterious and dangerous about it. It is like a thriller that starts fairly innocent but turns into a thrilling action drama. It can easily be one of the best Martin Margiela fragrances.
I would wear it all year round but people recommend it more for fall and winter. It starts strong but it is only medium-lived, so if you want it to last all night, you had better re-apply during the night.
Let’s start with the fact that L’Ombre Des Merveilles is a unisex fragrance. The black tea opening is harsh and masculine. After a while, incense and tonka come through. It is especially the tonka bean that balances the scent and gives it a warmer, feminine and spa-like character. Although I drink a cup of black tea every morning, it is not an ingredient I enjoy smelling on myself.
I like the inviting tonka dry-down; but nevertheless, I want to love a fragrance from the begging till the end. L’Ombre Des Merveille is a quality aroma, relatively easy to wear, unique, equally suitable for both sexes but not a sweetheart from head to toe.
This scent could be easily named Black Tea & Tonka d’Hermes. Unisex and unique.
Who would not like Coco Mademoiselle? This intense version is indeed more intense and longer-lasting, heavier on patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla. A great version of Coco Mademoiselle for winter – warmer, deeper, vanilla.
But do you need it? If you do not have any Coco Mademoiselle and like the note profile, get this intense version right away; however, if you already own Coco Mademoiselle (the regular version) you do not need this. They are different yet similar enough. I would not justify having both in my collection, it would be a waste.
A stronger more complex Coco Mademoiselle that we already know and adore.
Amber Woody Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake, Jacques Polge
Despite the name Noir, you can expect a very bright and juicy opening with grapefruit, bergamot and orange. The aroma soon turns into a delicate floral with rose, geranium, jasmine and narcissus. Afterwards, you get down to the beautiful subtle base of patchouli, sandalwood, tonka, vanille and white musk.
You feel the typical Chanel DNA throughout the experience. Overall, it is a well done perfume, little bit less dark and bold than expected. It makes Chanel Noir a soft night-timer ideal for hotter months and any women regardless of their age.
A friendly bright inviting night-time perfume for any age group.
alexaperfumes 