Marrakech Intense Eau de Toilette

Mmmm... I am a die-hard Aesop fan and I use their soap, skincare, etc. However I have never really fallen in love with any of their fragrances. The "Othertopias" line was almost all disappointments, and I am also not a huge fan of Tacit or Hwyl. But THIS. Oh man. The initial blast of fresh cardamom, citrus, and rose is blended so well and it has that distinctly natural "Aesop" feel, but doesn't go in the essential oil direction like some of their others *cough cough Miraceti cough cough* Some people have said that they find this frag to be basic, but I couldn't disagree more. There's a nuanced complexity to the way the spices work together to somehow stay warm, fresh, and slightly sweet at the same time. The cardamom takes on an almost cake-like feel at some points, but then i'll sniff my wrist again and it'll be rose/sandalwood/clove spiciness. In this uncomfortable transitional period between late summer and early fall when the days can be hot, cold, rainy, or dry, I tend to gravitate towards Marrakech Intense because the ever-changing nature of the scent is versatile enough that it will never feel out of place. In a way, I guess this makes MI a sort of blue fragrance...? But it's not. While I don't think this juice fits in a brown bottle, per se, if you were to ask me what color bottle I feel it should be in, I'd probably hesitate, and then say brown. Brown is a hodgepodge color mashup, but inherently it's not an ugly color. It can even be beautiful. That's the way I feel about Marrakech Intense. It's a bit of an ugly duckling as it doesn't align perfectly within one category, but it floats around and works just fine in multiple.

Aesop so far for me is a house that you should not judge its scents from the first 30-60min upon spraying. All of the scents I've tried so far (tacit, eremia, rozu, hwyl, and marrakesh) have different main players throughout the wear. Although marrakesh is the most linear of the bunch imo, it still had a tremendous transformation after the first hour of wear. Initially I really didn't like it as upon spraying I got hit with a blast of syrupy cola (similar to enigma) that was def not for me. But in the background peeking through was a little hint of what this fragrance would eventually turn into. I left the test strip on my desk and forgot about it for a few hours but once I revisited it, I couldn't take my nose away. It is very important to note that to me this isn't a cardamom fragrance as the one or LNDL are and isn't a rose fragrance in the same way ambre nuit isnt. The cardamom here is much more lively and "modern" or unique smelling compared to the other two. The rose here is similar to ambre nuit to me in the way that it isn't detectable (to my nose). There is no powdery-ness or jammy qualities that I normally associate with rose in this fragrance. Every minute marrakesh gets better and better until it eventually peters out. I've been desperately looking for a fragrance that I can wear everyday that smells clean and has depth without smelling too much of something specifically. I wanted a different direction that what most of my current collection offers. Aesop is definitely filling that void.

A cold spice, a “concrete cardamom,” if you will. It’s clean, stoic, and far more masculine than all the florals would lead you to believe. The opening is sharp, herbal, almost medicinal. The dry down is solemn and leathery, and I catch a glint of something coppery, like freshly-minted coins. It's so handsome. I don’t know what Marrakech this is imagining, though. Perhaps one viewed through the tinted glass of a leather-upholstered limo? However, it makes it a great option if you're looking for a clear, direct spice without the sugar and chaos of other cardamoms. I've had it for six years and never tired. Word to the wise: I got the traveller because I loved it so much but foolishly didn’t look up the price before getting to the register because “How much can a rollerball of perfume cost, Michael? $110 dollars?” (It costs $110). Mental Snapshot: You’re gazing over a Harkonnen-engineered Arrakeen (in this AU they are not problematic, don’t worry). The city is a tessellation of sun-bleached stone and sharp shadow, studded with step-pyramids of seamless jet marble. Your penthouse is shady, spartan, and hewn from the finest imports. “Great design choice,” You tell Feyd Rautha, joining him in the obsidian soaking tub. “It looks just like this very expensive handwash store on my home planet.” tl;dr: brutalist souk 🧱🕋

Imagine your hot BOYFRIEND, chopping up wood for a bonfire... On a chilly day, sun is setting, he looks over at you and asks "you okay?" Chugging down water, looking soooo good. "I'm almost done baby" he says... He's finally done, there's wood for about a week of bonfires. He goes to the truck, opens the back door on the drivers side and takes off his shirt, cleans his face, neck, and chest with it. Seriously? (could this get any sexier) Puts on the clean shirt you packed for him. Takes out two ULTRAS from the Yeti, hands one to you. Without realizing, you're staring at him so intensely he stops drinking his beer and asks "what?" with a big smile on his face, "nothing, I just love you" you say, and can't help but to kiss him. It’s a clean, fresh, woodsy, outdoors vibe perfume. Hunting, fishing, loving everyday. Iykyk. One of my mans favorites. For the hard working, looks hot when doing just about anything, trucker hat, boot wearing kinda guy. Very desirable, sweet but not too sweet. No prominent rose. It has the perfect amount of spice, making it warm & cozy. The INTENSE comes from the wood, but it's soft in a way that makes it sensual. Perfect for date nights. I could get away with wearing it but him wearing it is such a vibe. I love it on him. Best if worn at night. BISOUS

One of my favorite perfumes for many years. In the city, sometimes the people in stylish atmosphere have this nice aroma. When I was a student, I admired them and visited the Aesop storefront. I approached the clerk with the intention of buying this Marrakesh, but the kind clerk carefully sprayed all the perfumes in the store one by one on the mouette and gave a detailed explanation of them to me. It was a very good experience, with many high-quality scents, and it also convinced me that this Marrakech is still my favorite. When I put on Marrakech, I feel as if I am taking a deep breath in the quiet precincts of a venerable temple. And yet, there is also an atmosphere that I walk through the hustle and bustle and smoke of an exotic market at dusk. The aroma is exactly as the name suggests. The contrast between sweetness and freshness, lightness and heaviness, coolness and warmth. I love the cardamom and sandalwood elements in this perfume. Also, the spice, floral, and woody bases seem to be a balanced blend overall. The only thing I regret is the weak longevity. The Marrakech Intense is designed to last longer than the earlier Marrakech, but it still doesn't stay on the skin for very long.