Velvet Flowers

It took me a couple of tries to love this, and I'm glad I gave it another shot. The first time I tried velvet flowers, I was rather unimpressed. Perhaps it was the weather that suppressed the notes? Maybe I just wasn't receptive enough? For whatever reason, I brushed it off. Luckily, I was going through my samples box and decided to try this on again. It opens as a watery fruit basket before it starts to settle a bit and becomes more heavy. It's sweet and very fruity (straight up peaches), almost sharp (perhaps from the tiniest bit of saffron that is detectable), but not intrusive. Right from the start, I also pick up a lot of musk playing around in the background, but it's a light girly musk, not a very mature one, if that makes sense. A sniff closer to the skin reveals the rosy notes that never really take flight. This is the only part of the entire fragrance that lives up to its name, "Velvet Flowers". It is definitely the smoothest part of the entire fragrance, and is so incredibly feminine and mildly intoxicating - so well rounded and addictive, with beautiful musky wood notes backing it. It's a shame it sits so close to the skin, but I suppose one could see that as an added dimension. As the fragrance develops, it gains an almost syrupy texture and a bitterness that I find rather confusing. The first thing that comes to mind is jasmine, but I have not known jasmine to be bitter on my skin. It's not unpleasant though; if anything, it simply contributes another facet. It ends with airy musk and a faint fruity floral sweetness, with a hint of spice and wood. This stage is very much a skin scent on me. Is this fragrance exquisitely different or unique? Perhaps not, but for the fruity floral enthusiast, this is worth trying. Projection was noticeable throughout, and total wear on me was about 5.5-6 hours.

parfait dupe de bakhour, je suis conquise, bakhour était un de mes parfums préféré et celui là sent exactement pareil; oriental, fruité, fleuri; pas encore de recul pour la tenue mais j'espère qu'il tient aussi bien que bakhour; je me dépêche de commander les 100ml; j'adore j'adore j'adore, à sentir avant d'acheter toutefois car pourrait ne pas plaire moi le trouve de caractère et féminin

I like the first half hour the best. It's unusual, spicy and floral. Unfortunately after a while it becomes more and more sweet, almost (but only almost) cloying and I can feel only a peach scent then. It reminds me of Chanel Allure EDT a lot and I have this 'Allure' feeling for hours. Sillage and longevity are very good. P.S.:Interesting, how our nose 'works'. I have Guerlain Purple Fantasy and I feel it similar to Allure EDP and Montale VF to Allure EDT. And I see, that others find similarity between Alien and Purple Fantasy and between Alien and VF. God knows...

Montale Velvet Flowers. I thought I was in love with this one, having had the FB on my to-buy list for a long time, years ago. Each time I went to the perfumery selling Montale, I spritzed and thought "fall comes, and I'm gonna go for it". I really thought I loved that. But then I had the chance to have a decent decant, and I had been trying the frag for some days in a row. A huge blast of warm flowers, yep, I knew that. Dark velvety roses, that note is lovely. But then it turned so sweet on me,I guess the Ylang Ylang, I could barely smell the Jasmine that I generally love. A drydown is rich, very "Middle East". But there is a note -saffron? - that is heady and migraine inducing. And I thought I was hooked on this one!! Final Verdict? nice but not so additcive as I previously thought. Honestly, also a bit nauseating if you dab one one more. (I am not going to have a FB.) Not a safe blind buy, it needs some thorough testing.

Initial floral burst with lurking aoud. After dry down, aoud is all I got. I did not expect this. Very strong aoud scent. It sits on the skin like an unwelcome visitor that will not leave.