Vanilla Marble by Agonist

Vanilla, Almond, Tiare, Orchid, Fig, Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Benzoin.

If you happen to like your vanilla accented heavily with almond, then this one is for you. Vanilla Marble opens with a sweet and heavy vanilla and almond duo. The almond used here also has accents of coconut, further perpetuating the sweet quality that is inherent in this fragrance.

Vanilla Marble is more or less a linear scent and with dominant notes of Vanilla and Almond, that's no surprise. They permeate every aspect of the wearings, but I will say that the overall aroma gives the impression of a well made creation. That's the upside. The drawback is that Vanilla Marble really doesn't set itself apart from others I've sampled featuring similar notes. Once again, it boils down to price point and an individual's willingness to dig deep for a niche acquisition.

After numerous wearings, I admit to experiencing the Vanilla and Almond, but not much else. I was hoping for a resinous amber to kick in and a nice rendition of Sandalwood as well, but it wasn't to be. I'm not claiming they aren't in the mix, but their tuning is way too low for me to appreciate.

Also missing in action are the other listed notes, so more than likely, my wearings produced fatigue from the dominance of Vanilla and Almond. The fragrance is full and rich however, so lovers of these 2 notes should have no problem enjoying this.

Sillage is good and longevity is 6 hours ( give or take ) on my skin. I cannot muster more than a neutral rating for this scent because of what it doesn't do and the price. Perhaps others will experience more versatility than I, but since numerous attempts produced only Vanilla and Almond for me, a sample wear is highly recommended.

Comments

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...

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...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog