Telekinec

It was supposed to be a hit as the notes were right up my alley for a perfect fruity perfume for summer. But there's a note in there, underneath the tangy pineapple and the fresh mango that doesn't sit well with my skin chemistry and my nose. It clashes weirdly with the beautiful fruity notes. It smells kind of woody (which made me suspicious of cedarwood) and smells a bit like sour cereals? It's very hard to describe. This undescribable note unfortunately remains during a good part of the perfume's life on my skin which is the main reason why I won't be going further than a decant.

Apart from this unfortunate discordant note, I do smell some green notes and some undescript floral notes. Pineapple and mango are a little bit synthetic, but they do remain quite strong, blending into a fruity, fresh note that remains up until the end. There's some creaminess at the beginning of the fragrance that fades away in favor of fruitiness and sweetness. The drydown is musky, with a lovely vetiver note while cedarwood remains ever so strongly on my skin (my skin chemistry really loves cedarwood for a reason).

I have the impression it's a me problem and not the perfume's fault. Maybe my skin also doesn't react well to Xerjoff's DNA as I have yet to find a perfume from them that works. I've seen the positive reviews and I wished I was part of the hype train, but unfortunately it's not the case. Oh well, I guess my wallet is safe again!

I bumped up Lumière Blanche on my list of decants I had to try as I saw it was on sale at Etiket. Since I already had a sample waiting, I was curious to see if I'd love it enough to grab it while it was on sale.

This one is a gentle, but gorgeous olfactory experience. A strong alcoholic beginning which gives way to a trio of spices. Cardamom, star anise and cinnamon give the fragrance a spicy, almost woody beginning. It's not a strong, in-your-face spice mix and it'll never become stronger during the duration of this scent, but it's present. The magic happens after about 10-15 minutes when the middle notes start to rise up. Almond milk is the star at the center and gives this fragrance a beautiful creamy, milky facet, adding depth to the spices that were already present. It's comforting, gentle, yet pleasant. Cashmere wood add this comforting and soothing feeling with a supporting wooden presence while iris is subtle, evanescent and powdery. At this point, the fragrance did remind me a bit of chaï. Not a strong chaï scent, but a pleasant, remnant scent like an echo or a ghost of it. It's a truly beautiful thing. The drydown further solidifies the warmth, soothing and relaxing aspect of this perfume. Cedar adds woodiness while sandalwood is creamy. Tonka beans are powdery and deeply warm, adding some vanilla sweetness to the perfume.

Even now, I'm considering adding this perfume to my collection. The one thing that's making me hesitate is the performance of it. Sillage is non-existent and longevity seems weak like others before me have pointed it out. For the price it's at, I would've loved if it had a stronger presence on me. Nonetheless, I've got to admit it's a pretty elegant and gentle perfume that is fine for office use. It stands out among recent decants I've tried and I'll be pondering on maybe acquiring a full bottle despite its lackluster performance.

Tanger is a pretty decent fragrance that starts out with a strong tropical and powdery ylang-ylang that almost overpowers the citruses in the top notes. It doesn't take long before cashmeran comes on, giving a relaxing and comforting warmth to the perfume. Neroli unfurls its petals, giving indolic, sweetness to the fragrance. Roses are a little bit more in the background with a fruity, almost carnal aspect. Those three middle notes together form a strong floral, sweet and almost fruity accord that could've been nice, but to my nose there's an underlying screechy (synthetic?) tang that didn't go well with the rest. The drydown is a soothing blend of sweetness with creaminess and warmth. The drydown was probably the best part in this perfume.

It definitely leans feminine to my nose and has that effortless perfumey aspect that might appeal to a lot of woman, but it just doesn't fit my vibe which is why it won't be making it into my collection. For those who love florals and powderiness, this could be a great pick!

If "Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca | Guerlain" and "Pacific Chill | Louis Vuitton" had a child it would probably be this one. In the family of herbal aromatics and summer freshies, this one reigns among the top contenders. I've seen it on Facebook, Reddit and Instagram, heavily featured by a lot of people. It's also quite loved here on EssenceVitae, ranking at #12 on the unisex list (at the time of my review) which is why I wanted to try it out.

The beginning is beautiful, reminds me of Herba Fresca with it's bouquet of fresh aromatics. Supported by a bright, zesty lemon, mint gives freshness, basil gives green and thyme offers a spicy kick. It smells elevated, sophisticated and masterfully well-blended. I get the hype now. As the heart notes start to rise up, this is where it went a bit south for me. Not because the scent started to smell bad, but because I started to feel like the perfume was going the masculine way. Most people on EssenceVitae seem to agree it's a masculine-leaning fragrance anyway. It might also be because I've always linked lavender and spices to men's cologne because my dad usually wears those type of fragrances. During the heart notes, rosemary adds another level of spices and green freshness while blackcurrant is tangy and more subtle. Jasmine gives this perfume a sort of floral, powdery aspect while lavender is the stronger of the two flowers, lending its distinctive scent to the perfume. It becomes a soothing fragrance, still refined and elegant, but a little bit less in the fresh territory than it was in the top notes. The drydown becomes more unisex with the spicy aspect toning down a bit. There's warmth radiating from the gentle musks and vervein adding another level of delicate soothing aspect.

It's an absolutely beautiful fragrance and I can see why it is beloved by so many. Unfortunately for me (or fortunately for my wallet), I can feel it leaning masculine (especially) during the heart notes which is the only reason why it won't be added to my collection. But for those who don't get the masculine vibe, this is a wonderful fragrance to add to your collection for sure.

I don't understand why this fragrance has such a low rating (6.6/10 at this moment) because it's a really nice beach perfume. I can picture the warm, golden sand, the gleaming sun shining high in the clear, blue skies and the sun-kissed skin... It's very vacation vibes.

Ylang-ylang and champaca flowers are the strongest flowers pulling on my skin. Ylang-ylang with its functional aspect of sunscreen and sun tan lotion. Tropical, slightly fruity with an almost carnal quality. Champaca flowers, which are floral and sparkling, add a touch of freshness and airy quality to the fragrance. Magnolia is sweet and slightly powdery while gardenia is subdued, more like an undertone, lending its powdery sweetness to the perfume. Bourbon vanilla and indian sandalwood add heaviness to the perfume, like warmth exuding off sun-kissed skin. It adds sweetness and a bit of an exotic feeling. The overall vibe of this perfume is creamy tropical flowers with a hint of sweetness and woodiness.

I might have gone for a bottle if it wasn't for the fact that I already have a fragrance in my collection that is quite similar: "Lust For Sun | Juliette Has A Gun". Nonetheless, it's a nice fragrance if you're looking for that summer, beach and vacation vibe.