Vanille Benjoin

Maybe I had extremely inflated expectations for Vanille Benjoin because it is a very smooth, syrupy and textured vanilla but it is a little fruitier than I wanted. Vanillas and ambers aren't my favorite genre of fragrance. For perfumers they are a saturated beginner's genre, somewhat low effort to make smell good. Even though pure vanilla extract is one of the most expensive perfumery ingredients it is still one of the most common ingredients used in modern perfume. Indie and established perfumers are easily able to churn out vanillas and ambers because vanilla and sweet resins are certified mass appealing scent profiles. So I tend to scrutinize quite heavily with the tired and overdone genre as most have generally bored me. I only have and need a handful of pure vanillas that for me wear better than the rest. So does Vanille Benjoin "make the cut"? In short, yes, but with a caveat. It smells wonderful one of the most balanced of the profiles from this house but it reminds me of the base of Guerlain L'homme Ideal Parfum or by association Tonka Imperiale. Maybe closer to Tonka Imperiale to be honest. That cherry, tonka bean, or benzaldehyde sensibility in the base is instantly apparent. But knowing this brand it is probably natural tonka bean oil used here in Vanille Benjoin. Natural tonka bean essential oil possesses coumarin which has a nutty, vanilla quality. It also contains benzaldehyde a molecule extracted from the larger molecule cinnemaldehyde which is extracted in the largest quantities from cinnamon trees. Benzaldehyde has spicy and fruity characteristics of cherry on top of being starchy and nutty suggestive of almonds. These qualities give tonka bean nuances of cherries and nutty nuances of almonds on its own on top of having sweet vanilla qualities and being used as an adjacent scent profile to vanilla. Vanille Benjoin opens smoothly with a creamy, nutty, vanilla and almond facets from tonka that smells slightly play-doh-y but with a much more refined, addicting and pleasing atmosphere. Like a scentless moisturizer, lactonic, thick, starchy and musky. Much later it shape-shifts completely and takes on a fruitier transformation allowing the cherry facets of the tonka bean to shine smelling now like a maraschino cherry dunked in an amaretto. I really appreciate that this is not just "another vanilla" fragrance and that there is transformation and character to the scent profile. Ultimately the kind of scent profile is slightly why I was underwhelmed with it because it just reminds me of a much simpler and dainty version of the accessible niche offering Tonka Imperiale made with similar quality ingredients. Ultimately like the inflated price of Tonka Imperiale, this is also not convincing of its high price point. The price is pretty much comparable. The cherry facet given by the rich tonka bean essence is very finely balanced, tasteful and is given performance, sleekness and a classy French flair by the ambroxan and cedar. It is never playful or juvenile but fancy, sophisticated and slightly boozy. Being more familiar with the niche offering Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Parfum, I am in love with Vanille Benjoin because it takes a fragrance I am very fond of and strips away some fluff making it simpler and improves upon it a bit with much richer ingredients. But Vanille Benjoin is also very derivative in this way so I am quite conflicted on whether I should allow myself to enjoy it at such a reckless price point. I do really enjoy Vanille Bejoin's execution my wearings of it and how easy it is to wear to bed and out in the world, I do find it a worthy vanilla to add to my wardrobe on par with Guerlain L'Homme Ideal Parfum or Tonka Imperiale but still unique in its construction. It is a very well-blended composition to be reserved as one of those fragrances I pull out for those days where I want to be showered with attention. It is a soothing slightly fruity vanilla that calms me while still feeling appropriate for special situations. Although as with Cedre Iris it is a bit too academic, 2 dimensional and safe to convince me to pay the premium outright. It also seems eclipsed by the rich tonka bean for a majority of its wear leaving me to forget it is a vanilla scent. However, it does return to its boozy and resinous vanilla roots later on in the wearing which is satisfying. A unisex, slightly feminine leaning composition with great wear length and polite sillage that compliments the personal space of the wearer. I will consider as a pleasing vanilla signature at a discounted purchase. All in all, a lovely composition that I would highly recommend trying. 9/10

Oh my god. Gorgeous! Buttery creamy resinous vanilla bean with warm benzoin. There is something soapy about this, trying to put my finger on what it reminds me of. Maybe one of the cotys, where it's soapy, but in a really warm, creamy, buttery, resinous fashion...aha! Kenzo Amour, like in kenzo and in L'Ecoudrey Ambre Vanille. Almost synthetic / doll's head, but the good kind. Must be that chemical note. Really beautiful, not getting the leather, might be on the far end of the drydown. Of course this beautiful scent is pricey and we all expect more of a lasting power and silage for this price... but no, it wafts delicately close to the skin. It's absolutely gorgeous though, and this will definitely be one of the few samples that I am keeping for myself! **My own find of a Kenzo Amour clone (cheaper, and better) is Christina by Nabeel - on me side by side with this now. Both gorgeous creamy warming doll's head vanillas and in my opinion similar in many ways.

Mmmm I am really swooning over this scent. It’s a warm, powdery benzoin paired with a unisex almondy vanilla. In fact, I’m surprised that almond isn’t a note- I am experiencing more almond than benzoin. The woody base is a tiny bit dry for my liking, but the vanilla note manages to soften its edges. Vanille Benjoin has shades of Bois Farine and the discontinued Honey & Crocus by Jo Malone. It’s a more sophisticated rendition of the two that radiates from your body as a “second skin” scent. The performance is weak- I can barely detect it on myself much longer than an hour, but others can smell you. It lingers on clothing longer than skin, and I find myself really huffing my wrists to try to experience it more. Normally the performance has to be phenomenal for this asking price, but I might just have to make an exception and splurge on this.

I think there are many perfumes that would sell better if they were in different pricing brackets, and this one is no exception. Many reviewers below call out the price tag, and while I'm not a fan of that, dollar thresholds come with expectations as to longevity, silage, complexity, etc. I like this fragrance; i'm not willing to give up my sample. I got it because my first perfume love had a strong base of benzoin and I have always been on the lookup for similar fragrances. This fragrance delivers, with a luscious vanilla note to boot. I think what reviewers are grasping for is 'something special', something to make this stand out which it is expected to do at the price point offered. I don't think anyone would make a bad decision if they were to blind buy this. They would run through the bottle more quickly than slowly, that's all.

This has to be the most beautiful, elegant perfume I've ever smelled. I have yet to encounter a fragrance as gorgeous as Vanille Benjoin, truly. It's a light, resinous & woody vanilla with a subdued sweetness. It's a feminine-leaning unisex fragrance to my nose, but I could absolutely see a man wearing this (and wish they would! Lol). After putting this perfume on for the first time, I immediately pictured myself getting married in an opulent wedding. The projection and longevity aren't as good as I had hoped for, but it's just too gorgeous to resist. I will forever repurchase this beauty.

Absolutely gorgeous airy vanilla, but an immediate skin scent for me which makes it difficult to justify the price. If I do end up splurging one day for a full bottle, I see myself wearing it on my arm when going to bed and lying my head on my arm so I can smell this beauty as I drift off into vanilla dream land. Update: Well I caved and bought a bottle and I am very happy to say that for some reason the juice in the full bottle is performing much better than the juice from my sample which was from their official sample kit. Perhaps it had longer to macerate.

A gorgeous vanilla pudding scent, I’m picking up an unexpected rice note. (In fact, it’s the rice note that I wish I would’ve found in Santal Basmati). Ambroxan is barely here, and is only detectable in the dry down. Vanille Benjoin is a beautiful scent. Creamy and warm with tonka and benzoin, I would consider a purchase but I’m not interested in getting a second mortgage to pay for it.

Warm airy vanilla, slightly woody, beautiful in its simplicity. To me it leans just a tad masculine, and it brings me reassurance and peacefulness when I wear it. Like a loving and comforting embrace, like a warm hug from my father... It calms my anxiety, and I love wearing it to bed... its a perfume you truly wear for yourself and it is a must in my collection.

Beautiful vanilla, so intimate and soft . It would be the 2nd favourite of mine in this range after Cuir Curcuma - the best amber leather ever!!

Basically, a niche, more refined Lush Vanillary.

So scrolling through the comments on here a common theme emerges, this is a ‘subpar’ vanilla fragrance, too expensive, poor quality etc... which I don’t get at all from this and respectfully, disagree strongly. I think if there’s one thing this brand (well this line) delivers is the feeling that natural materials have been deployed in good quantity. In terms of natural, raw materials this one smells great to me, of superb quality and brought together harmoniously. That is while you can smell vanilla & benzoin in the initial spray and settling I feel something of the sense of these materials while captured is also slightly lost. The one gripe you perhaps should have is that this fragrance mainly smells like tonka bean! With a sort of almond, heliotrope sweetness. A posh Givenchy Pi wouldn’t be a bad description, it has a deep hum, while to some feeling like it short changes you because it’s a resinous vanilla skin scent, I’m not critical of that, it’s plenty strong and present enough to me. I don’t think people unfamiliar with perfume materials in isolation understand just how similar benzoin and vanilla are to one another, well they certainly cross over and bring similar qualities to a perfume. I guarantee without knowing which was which and given various examples from different origins/extraction methods, you could get lost in a bewildering array of similar notes and vibes to them. The main takeaways being, Vanilla is not as creamy or sweet as you’d expect (certainly not sniffing the neat, raw material at least) and has woody and even sharp, balsamic facets. While benzoin can be ‘more vanillic than vanilla’ in my opinion but can also have deep, perfumed, medicinal qualities of amber, like the dry woods and dusty old books. However they run the full gamut between, not to mention how they are used in a formula in order to draw out certain qualities or complement other materials. Most perfumes vanilla accords are constructions or lazy hollow vanillin afterthoughts, this doesn’t feel like that. I get an authentic vanilla experience, although shortlived and the benzoin just adds heft and obviously they marry well, but this is not an amber perfume and that’s where I think it misses something from both of its namesakes, coming in with much more of a tonka/marzipan finish, it’s powdery and actually quite lovely, missing that slightly confronting, white musk/baby wipe note which Givenchy Pi has. I feel this is deliberate, the perfumer has taken it in this direction perhaps not to be another amber accord perfume of which there are many. It’s not even my cup o tea but I can’t deny the quality and the warm, niceness of it. These perfume are expensive and this is among my least favourite but the collection as a whole is undeniably good in my opinion.

This is a very light fragrance. I smell Iso E Super and sweetened vanilla and benzoin notes. It's a nice, simple, woody vanilla, but it smells kinda cheap to me. So not worth the high price at all. It projects for 10 minutes then retreats to skin for a long lasting drydown, but I just wasn't very impressed with the scent. Edit - wore it again and I fell deeply in love. I'm not smelling Iso E Super anymore. I smell rice pudding and benzoin and it's really nice. I'm even considering a 50ml bottle at the end of my no buy period....maybe... It's still super simple. Much to consider. It is gorgeous though. -

This one is far more elegant than many fragrances with similar notes. The cedar is spicier, the vanilla a bit deeper and richer, but it does not last long and silage is not great. The price-tag is too high just to get the elegance that is mostly just for oneself. In self-isolation where one can overspray all day, this would be great, but I hope this will end sometime before too long

A very soft, cozy and creamy vanilla scent. It smells smooth and calming but with a weak projection. In general, this perfume is likeable but similar to other inexpensive vanilla alternatives.

Not terribly exciting or different. Not bad. I mean...Vanilla is wonderful in itself. So are woods. It's like fishing with dynamite. A bit lazy, IMHO

Considering the price and materials used, I thought this one would jump around, do cartwheels and scream I'm a gorgeous vanilla, woody, tonka! Deep, I'm deep and luscious. It didn't do any of those things for my nose. I got a lotion-y, un-sweet vanilla with barely any woods. Might be the ambroxan, which I just can't smell and will sometimes take over a scent to the point that I can't smell anything. But I don't think so bc from the notes listed it doesn't look like it was a prominent note, but those notes are more advertising than actual truth.........so. Everyone is different, we need all kinds of reviews to make an informed choice. Especially at this price point. It's easy to get ahold of a sample, so I'd suggest that. I've given this one 6 months to develop before I wrote a review, but that's all the time I'm giving it.

I really liked this at first as it was a really elegant and feminine combination of vanilla and cedar, however, after a few hours the vanilla disappeared and it was pure cedar and more masculine. It wasn't bad by any means and was actually fairly pleasant, it just wasn't what I had wanted. It's nice but is definitely not full bottle worthy for me, especially not with that price tag. yikes!

À bland scent that disappears immediately. This makes me lose respect for the brand. It would be too expensive even if it were three times cheaper, so as it stands it's a joke. Do they test their perfumes? They have two decent ones, Musc Amber Gris and Cuir Cúrcuma, but this one is a total dud.

I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone It’s ok at best Performance is bad so it’s a minus from the beginning It smells of vanilla and marzipans I’m not sure why Not a fragrance I’d like to wear in the future And to top it off the price is outrageous Pass pass and another pass

Nice warm, dry vanilla with a fluffy, hot-from-the-dryer feel. Super cozy but I have others in the same category I enjoy more. The tonka here is too powdery for my taste. Review of full bottle blind-buy from Harrods. Decluttered.