u/recklessdeception

I've been looking for a rice dominant perfume but not a gourmandish rice. More of a starchy, powdery, papery rice.

Taipei by One Day came up as one of the top recommendations for rice besides D'annam. I wasn't keen on D'annam so I bought Taipei.

Taipei opens with gorgeous starchy rice. It's not sugary sweet, it's just right. After 30 mins it gets sweeter, the starchiness recedes and it becomes rice with warm sweet condensed milk. It smells very much like kheer (rice pudding).

The longevity is damn good, I get approximately 10 hours on skin. Projection is good for the initial 30 mins, after that it stays close to the skin but I get whiffs through the day when I move my wrist closer to my face.

Overall it's a well made qualitative perfume, unfortunately it's gourmand and just not my type.

Maya Njie and Aethi Opum caught my attention sometime in late July this year when suddenly my social media feeds started buzzing with talk about the use of Gowe seeds in perfumery, debates on who used them first and credit where it's due in the world of perfumery.

I am not informed enough to talk, discuss or debate about the situation. All I knew was that I had never heard of Gowe seeds and because I love exploring unique or abstract scents, I had to get my nose on a scent that uses them.

I placed my order with Ode to Perfume for AO and Nordic Cedar in the first week of August and waited excitedly and patiently for them to reach me. As with all my overseas orders, it was a long wait but it was also one of my most awaited orders this year because while I waited for the person who was bringing it to arrive in India, AO as well as NC received recognition at the Art and Olfaction and the Refinery29 awards, respectively.

AO opens with a dry earthy incense. It reminds me of the smell of my school sports ground during summer. Dusty, dry, scorched earth with the sun on you. There's no grass or plants or trees. While I love atmospherics, I am not good with visualization when it comes to perfumes. But AO evokes the memory of that dry, hot sports ground very strongly in my mind. I have never sniffed a perfume that smells like this.

The incense mellows down after sometime and the scent of dry earth starts feeling a bit leathery, as if the dust isn't rising up and clouding over my shoes with every step anymore. It recedes closer to the skin but is still very present. Eventually I start getting the smell of coffee. This coffee drydown is an intimate skin scent.

AO isn't a room filler, it opens strong and then tempers itself to remain close to the skin. It is one of the most unique scents I have that also gives me vivid visual memories and I'm glad that I was able to get it before it started getting sold out everywhere.

Toucan feels like a crowd pleaser and yet it's quite unique. It doesn't evolve or flip as contrastingly as other Zoologist perfumes while transitioning from the opening to the drydown.

Toucan opens fruity but not the typical girly fruitiness that I'm familiar with (strawberries, pear, peach). This one opens with papaya. The papaya isn't overripe but it definitely smells tropical. There's some citrus that keeps any candied sweetness at bay and lends it an airiness.

Unlike the other Zoologist perfumes I have, Toucan's opening passes soon. It transitions and dries down to the smell of beachy skin, soaking in the sun with sunscreen lotion slathered on it. It's warm, has some saltiness as if I've taken a dip in the sea, and feels creamy like a banana flavoured lotion.

It's not loud but I also don't think this is something I'd wear to work. This one is definitely going to be something I wear on weekends or vacations.

Aromas de Salazar caught my attention this year when I read a couple of reviews on reddit for Orange Oudsicle and Blueberry Morning. I've mostly been exploring indie houses which make spray EDP formats lately so I was happy to find another such house. The reviews for so many of the perfumes seemed good and for some reason I also liked the perfume names in the Love Language series. (My reasons for exploring a house or perfume can be very irrational at times.)

Couple of months back I had the opportunity to get some new perfumes from the US and I decided on AdS. The whole catalogue was interesting and I was finding it difficult to make up my mind on what to buy because my budget permitted only two bottles. A friend suggested a few which included 1912.

1912 was my SOTD yesterday, first wear and a full day's wear. Rather than spraying judiciously because it was new to me, I did 8 sprays on me before leaving for office and as soon as I got into my cab, I was in a fluffy powdery bergamot cloud. My commute to work usually takes 90 mins and this fluffy cloud stayed present throughout. It wasn't cloying or headache inducing. It was gorgeous! It was glorious! A bit of orange flavoured pillowy powder bomb that made itself known.

Throughout the day it only got better. It mellowed a little but there wasn't any time of the day where I didn't smell 1912 on me if I moved my head or brought my wrist close to my face. The citrusy flavour had taken a backseat and I was getting more of violets and white florals, all still very powdery, slightly woody and pillowy.

By evening, I could smell vanilla. But this wasn't the sweet gourmand sticky vanilla that I avoid. This was a woody, powdery, non-sweet vanilla which reminded me a lot of some older Guerlain. 1912 is new for me but it's also something I had been missing. It felt like a memory of the glorious Guerlainade, reconstructed. Even during drydown, when it became a skinscent, it was still going strong. I didn't have to take forceful sniffs of my wrist to smell it, I could smell it easily on my skin when I would bring my wrist closer to my face.

1912 isn't a schmoop, but it's a part of the Vintage series from AdS and I feel the perfumer has achieved what they intended to do when they say "This fragrance is an homage to that era—when perfume was a poem made from petals and sap, a memory of gods and gardens. A world where florals wrapped themselves around resins, and the alchemy of nature spoke louder than words." I love it and feel it very much represents the oldschool glory I love in White Diamonds but with a lot more finesse, presence and intensity.

I blind bought Monotheme Tuberose because it is rumoured to be similar to Madonna Truth or Dare. That one is discontinued and I never got the chance to smell it.

To my nose, Monotheme Tuberose opens with a familiar tuberose that feels slightly bubblegummy, clean and bright. It does not come off harsh or plasticky and it also does not turn into a sugary fruity floral. It dries down into a smooth, non-sweet vanilla. I was worried it would be similar to Armani My Way, since the vanilla in that one turns sticky and cloying on my skin, but the vanilla in Monotheme Tuberose is quite pleasant and feels non-gourmandish.

Overall this is value for money. It smells put together, not synthetic and it scratches the tuberose itch without drowning in sugar. Longevity is not great, I get around four hours, but I do not mind respraying during the day given the price point for a 100ml bottle. Also, the juice is a really pretty pink 🤭

I was very curious about Andrea Maack Indigo because of the jeans and asphalt notes. I love exploring scents with odd notes even though many times they turn out to be just a marketing gimmick. Thankfully Indigo delivers that urban concept in a very polished and wearable way.

Indigo opens with a cool and dusty chalkiness, it is not smoky or tarry. It comes across more like dry pavement and mineral dust. Soon the name starts making more sense to me. It transitions to an inky blue orris that feels smooth and slightly powdery. Lavender comes in soft and pillowy, but it never turns into a classic barbershop kind of lavender, nor does it head into the Yardley powder territory.

Projection is noticeable early on, then it settles closer but still feels very present. Longevity is solid and it clings to fabric well.

I've been wearing it often to work. Even though it’s powdery, it feels very modern and doesn’t come off as retro. The overall vibe is very cool and unique.

I was very keen on exploring this house because I love atmospherics and the names and descriptions of the perfumes really piqued my interest. I also love the fact that they do not list the notes. As someone who's not good at identifying or figuring smells by notes, the conceptual nature of the perfumes really aligns with me.

Burning Bridges opens as smooth woodsmoke with a faint metallic edge. It is not harsh, nor charred, and it avoids the bitter suffocating campfire effect.

Around 20-30 minutes in, it shifts into something airier with a dry sweetness that I think might be clove or cinnamon because it feels like a spicy sweetness, not a thick or syrupy gourmandish type. The middle also gives me a birch-like impression, adding a clean, wood facet. This stage reminds me a little of Blamage, but without feeling like damp woods, it remains dry.

The drydown on me is a soft, slightly dusty sandalwood without a pencil shavings texture. It's gentle and intimate.

I do not get citrus, animalics or cola despite seeing those being mentioned in some online reviews, so I’m guessing thats just my skin chemistry.

Longevity is good, staying present for 6-8 hours and remaining easy to smell on my skin well into the wear. Projection is moderate initially, then it settles into a closer scent bubble.

Overall I'm impressed by this one even though some of the online reviews had made me nervous.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwGjY\_e\_VV24fqVpW0irgLLcf5OUmpNkOIRH7WQa2Nw/edit?usp=drivesdk

Spirituscents Borneo Sunset opens with a smoky amber. The smoke is clean, not sweet, not acrid. There is a brief screechiness for a few seconds which disappears quickly.

The middle is smokey woods, slightly rugged and yet smooth. The drydown is woody with a hint of vanilla. Thankfully this vanilla isn't sticky sweet nor is it dominating. It doesn't turn gourmand like some other vanilla formulations do on my skin. This drydown is very similar to Pineward Gristmill and Nonfiction The Grey.

This is a familiar DNA rather than something radically new, but it is well made, balanced and easy to like if you enjoy smoke and woods. The transitions are smooth and the blend doesn't feel jagged.

Projection is great in the first hour without being a cloying sweet smokebomb. Longevity is solid, roughly 8 to 10 hours on skin, longer on fabric (though I would avoid this on light coloured clothes considering how dark the juice is).

This has been a blind buy success for me. I'm looking forward to my bottle of Cathedralis from the same house.

Spirituscents Borneo Sunset opens with a smoky amber. The smoke is clean, not sweet, not acrid. There is a brief screechiness for a few seconds which disappears quickly.

The middle is smokey woods, slightly rugged and yet smooth. The drydown is woody with a hint of vanilla. Thankfully this vanilla isn't sticky sweet nor is it dominating. It doesn't turn gourmand like some other vanilla formulations do on my skin. This drydown is very similar to Pineward Gristmill and Nonfiction The Grey.

This is a familiar DNA rather than something radically new, but it is well made, balanced and easy to like if you enjoy smoke and woods. The transitions are smooth and the blend doesn't feel jagged.

Projection is great in the first hour without being a cloying sweet smokebomb. Longevity is solid, roughly 8 to 10 hours on skin, longer on fabric (though I would avoid this on light coloured clothes considering how dark the juice is).

This has been a blind buy success for me. I'm looking forward to my bottle of Cathedralis from the same house.

Link to decants pricelist:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwGjY\_e\_VV24fqVpW0irgLLcf5OUmpNkOIRH7WQa2Nw/edit?usp=drivesdk

Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds is old school glamour for me.

The opening has bright aldehydes which can feel a little sharp at first, but it quickly turns into a full white floral bouquet with prominent jasmine and tuberose. It has a powdery floral texture which turns into a mossy woody drydown after a few hours.

White Diamonds definitely performs. It has strong projection, is long lasting and can feel overwhelming initially if oversprayed.

I love the old school aldehydic vibe and even though Chanel No.5 is recommended more for that style, I personally prefer White Diamonds. It smells dressed up, glamorous and confident.

Molinard came onto my radar when a friend sent me a sample size vial of Lavande. While the opening of Lavande was a bit weird, I was floored by the scent once the opening passed. I haven't gotten around to discussing that one yet but I've been wearing Santal Insolent everyday since the last three days so decided to talk about it.

Something I've noticed with this house in the perfumes I have tried or bought so far is that the opening 10 mins are usually weird. Santal Insolent follows the same pattern. The opening has a feeling of crushed leaves for a few mins. I prefer this fleeting green crushed leaves feeling over the acidic picklish smell in Santal 33 or the orange/citrus note from other perfumes.

Once that opening passes, it develops into a sandalwood backed by a slightly sweet milkiness. The milkiness is very faint so I wouldn't call it lactonic, I usually sense this sweet milkiness when there's cardamom present in perfumes. The sweet milkiness is very subtle and not as prominent as Dunhill Indian Sandalwood.

It eventually becomes a lovely smooth sandalwood with a little bit of dustiness (probably the papyrus doing its thing). It's not powdery, it doesn't have the pencil shavings or rugged texture of cedarwood, it doesn't have the refreshing wet feeling of Sacred Wood. It's just a pleasant naturally sweet sandalwood.

This one isn't loud but I keep getting whiffs through the day. It lasts a decent 7-8 hours before becoming just a faint remnant on the skin.

I feel Molinard makes very reliable and wearable scents in the mid-tier price range (similar to designer brands). So far, at least 3 of the scents have been an absolute success for me and I wear them to work often. The only failure until now has been Tubereuse because it was too heady for my taste despite my love for tuberose.

This one was earlier known as Arizona. It opens dry, piney, almost medicinal. The opening might remind one slightly of Eucalyptus. After 20 mins it moves to dry woods, the woods feel like the bark of a tree. I love that texture and ruggedness. It's an intimate scent, non-intrusive to those around u. The drydown is piney rugged resins. Longevity isn't the best, probably 5-6 hrs at most. But damn I love that textured wood.

Sorry had been on a bit of a hiatus due to work stress. I'm taking decant orders now. Link to decants list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwGjY\_e\_VV24fqVpW0irgLLcf5OUmpNkOIRH7WQa2Nw/edit?usp=drivesdk

I picked up Heretic Nosferatu after it was suggested by multiple fragheads in the FB fragcomm when I asked for petrichor recommendations. I was nervous that it would be nauseating because of some reviews on reddit but took the plunge and blindbought a bottle because sourcing just a sample from overseas felt like too much effort.

I don't think Nosferatu is reminiscent of petrichor. Petrichor for me is the smell of damp earth (mud and soil). Whereas Nosferatu smells like stale vase water that has been left unchanged for a month, with dead flowers sitting in it. At some point after the initial opening a watery green note shows up that makes me think of cucumber (again that's something I dislike). It is not perfumey and it does not feel wearable, but I keep reaching for it and wear it to work often.

Longevity and projection are average, it sits close and lasts a maximum of 5 hours on skin. In the extreme drydown after 4 hours, it softens into faint florals.

I can't understand why I'm so addicted to Nosferatu. There is nothing pleasant about this scent. It doesn't feel like perfume at all, but for some odd reason I keep reaching for it and long to wear it.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwGjY\_e\_VV24fqVpW0irgLLcf5OUmpNkOIRH7WQa2Nw/edit?usp=drivesdk

SOTD is DSH Ashram, a scent that feels more like an atmosphere than a “perfume moment.”

The opening and heart are what I can only describe as unflavoured incense. It is not sweet, not spicy, and it avoids that burnt, acrid smoke edge that incense fragrances sometimes lean into. Instead, it smells clean, familiar, and quietly calming. The strongest association it gives me is an Indian temple, specifically the everyday ritual kind. It reminds me of the morning diya and agarbatti my mom lights, but with less of the burning ghee and more of the plain, unsweetened incense stick.

The closest real-world match is the smell of unlit agarbattis when you open a fresh box. Dry, soft, instantly recognizable. That scent memory is a big part of why Ashram feels grounding to me.

Wear-wise, this one is diffusive in a way I really enjoy. If I sniff my skin directly, it can feel a little understated, but I keep catching it around me close to my body as I move. It does not blast across a room. It is more like a gentle scent bubble that stays personal and non-intrusive.

Longevity is average on me. By the extreme drydown, the incense fades way back and what is left is a faint sweet woody skin scent, very close-wearing, almost like a soft whisper of warmth. Overall, Ashram is for someone who wants incense without drama, something familiar and steady that slowly melts into a quiet, woody skin finish.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rwGjY\_e\_VV24fqVpW0irgLLcf5OUmpNkOIRH7WQa2Nw/edit?usp=drivesdk

Stairway to Heaven by Jul et Mad came onto my radar when I was looking for suggestions for perfumes that smell icy, like cold air. I know it's an abstract idea but I really had been craving that atmosphere or feeling in a perfume especially during the humid Mumbai summers.

To me, the opening of STH reads like fizzy orange soda. The fizziness is ticklish, like a carbonated orange drink with bubbles popping close to my nose. That's probably the aldehydes, they've been blended quite differently compared to the other retro aldehydes that read harsh to the nose. I like it!

As it settles, it transitions into a metallic powder that feels distinctly cold. I'm guessing the gunpowder note is part of that effect. I had been worried that the gunpowder note might smell acrid or burnt but that's not what's happening here. It wears as a metallic, clean, controlled powder. The overall impression is very white and airy, like a clean cold surface, mineralaic with a powdery texture.

I love how uniquely STH delivers that freezing-air idea. It does not morph into something cozy or sweet, nor does it have anything spicy, green or earthy. It stays cool and white, and it genuinely makes me think of cold air in a way that feels more like atmosphere.

I typically get around 6 to 7 hours of longevity, with moderate projection for an initial hour and then it's pretty much a skin scent.