Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle - Musc Ravageur Parfum Spray Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur (“Musc”) is one of those fragrances I thought I had tried but had not.   For the life of me, I can’t explain why I missed this!   Released in 2000, it is an oriental (amber oriental) fragrance.   On me, Musc opens with a complex, spicy, slightly sweet, dirty patchouli.   It is heady and intoxicating.   There are dripping notes of amber; rich and syrupy.   A light floral peeks out from the background as a creamy vanilla clove seems to melt effortlessly into the accord. As Musc wears, its raw sensual aspects continue to delight.   The musk in the fragrance joins with the patchouli and creates a carnal sensory explosion.   There is an animalic fearlessness to Musc’s wear.   The drydown of Musc is warm and comforting.   Woody notes slide into Musc with a touch of darkness.   To the end, Musc continues to come to life with an irre...

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Oud Silk Mood EDP Oud Silk Mood (“Mood”) is a 2018 launch from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (“MFK”).   It was a fragrance I was anxious to try since oud can often be a challenging note for many people.   In the traditional use of oud in fragrance, the note is often paired with rose.   We see such a pairing in Mood but we also see much more which takes the oud to a place that becomes more wearable for a larger audience. This is not your traditionalist’s take on oud.   Instead, oud is met here with delicate floral accompaniments and becomes an approachable note that retains its inherent sensual nature.   Mood opens with a lush floral bouquet that is decidedly rose-intense.   The rose is rich, deep, and elegant.   There is a lightness from a soft bergamot and chamomile that elevates the rose with an airiness and smoothness.   The notes are blended with an oud that is present, yet still in the background, and have a fe...

DUA Fragrances - 44 Shades of Vanilla DUA is a California-based fragrance company that creates both “inspired” and original fragrances.   I realize there are many people that don’t support “inspired” fragrances, however, here in the U.S. they are legal and I personally believe they can be affordable alternatives for many people – as I always say: Fragrance (and makeup) should be for everyone.   That said, 44 Shades of Vanilla (“44 Shades”) is one of DUA’s inspired fragrances.   The inspiration for 44 Shades is Le Labo’s Vanilla 44.   I have not yet sampled the Le Labo and my review will simply be based on 44 Shades as it stands as its own fragrance. 44 Shades is a woody aromatic.   It opens with a beautiful woody vanilla tinged with just a tiny bit of citrus.   There is an intense woody warmth to the notes.   It’s as if you’ve been able to reach inside the very heart of the wood, place a vanilla pod there, and breathe in deeply.   As...

Dame Perfumery - Dark Horse Have you ever sampled a fragrance and thought to yourself, “What in the world has taken me so long to try this, it’s fantastic?”  Well, that was literally my very first thought the moment I got my first whiff of Dark Horse.  Webster’s Dictionary define dark horse as “a usually little known contender (such as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing”.  In the case of this fragrance, the name fits perfectly for me. Dark Horse is a floral woody musk, which for me tends to be a category of fragrance I tend to enjoy.  It opens with a cinnamon spiced bergamot with a light lemon twist.  The spice is tempered so it brings out the very best in the other two notes; the bergamot is the more predominant.  In the development of this juice the floral notes are enhanced with jasmine, carnation, and rose.  The jasmine seems to take a front seat for me with the carnation and rose being more subtle.  A gorgeous clove...

Dua Fragrances: Vetivero Vetivero is a fragrance inspired by Roja Parfums Vetiver Extrait.  It is also a chypre.  Anyone who knows me or has read my fragrance reviews knows I am not generally a chypre fan.  And, while it may not be popular to say in the fragrance community, I am also not a huge Roja fan (personally liking roughly 50% of his fragrances, although respecting the artistry in all).  Vetivero opens with a gorgeous bergamot-lemon.  I’ve hyphenated here as the notes are equally and beautifully balanced.  This is not that icky citrus vibe you get from some other juices – you know, the ones that smell like Lemon Pledge!  No this is a gorgeous, effervescent, fresh note.   I get a light and subtle jasmine.  The rose is subtle as well.  These notes rest ever so delicately on a beautiful base of vetiver and wood.  The spices in this round the base but it’s really the vetiver and woods that sing.  Vetiver Exr...

Berdous: Selva Do Brazil "Petitgrain from Paraguay, tonka bean from Brazil, and gaiac wood from Argentina combine to create Selva Do Brazil, a scent reminiscent of the sap in the heart of the rainforest’s trees. Fragrantica classifies this as an oriental woody scent. While the notes taken as such would place Selva Do Brazil into that category, I don't get what I would consider an oriental woody juice. Petitgrain, which should really smell more like a sharp and woody citrus, smells more like neroli in this juice. It's a sweet and slightly honeyed opening without being cloying. Both the tonka bean and the guaiac wood add more to the honey-tinged sweetness. There is an accord of vanilla that runs through the fragrance from the tonka bean. The guaiac adds just the slightest hint of smokiness to the base without being outright smoky. Selvo Do Brazil is another light scent from Berdoues. It has minimal projection. (As I have absolutely no clue what sap in the middle of a ra...