Bois de Paradis by Parfums DelRae

Lemon, Bergamot, Orange.
Rose, Blackberry, Figs, Spices.
Balsam, Woods, Amber, Incense.

This 2002 creation is marketed to women, yet I love the smell of this and believe it is wearable by anyone. Bois de Paradis opens with a very smooth citric rendition with rose and spice already intruding into the accord. The combination of rose and orange is something I find extremely well done. The subtle spice accents these two notes and it exhibits a demure yet substantial quality.

The heart is just as well tuned but not as attention getting as the opening. The rose is dusty and soft with just a hint of sweet. I don't identify with the fruit notes other than the suggestion of it. The spice is still lucid and noticeable. The change of gears from top to mids isn't dramatic by any stretch, but it's smooth and pleasant.

The base and drydown of bois de Paradis is wrinkle free. Just as placid as the middle accord, a slightly powdery wood and dry amber appear seamlessly. There's still a mild spice note ongoing and the onset of a tranquil smoke changes the direction of Bois de Paradis just enough for you to notice. The incense rendition is like all the other note implementations. Passively robust and soft enough to be considered polite.

The extended drydown is a comfortable affair of mild resin, dry amber and woody smoke. Bois de Paradis makes for a harmonious wear. It does lean slightly feminine, but if I had a bottle of this, I can assure you I'd wear it.

Sillage is moderate and the longevity is approximately 5 hours before I'd consider reapplying. Thumbs up from Aromi for Michel Roudnitska's Bois de Paradis.

Comments

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog