Madam X

I go back and forth between liking and loving this. The opening has almost a very strong animalic note on my skin, almost slightly urine like, but oh, once it dries down and the vanilla melds everything together, it is so, so beautiful. I think Madam X was absolutely the perfect name for this one because it is truly an eccentric beauty. It has soft and beautiful powder and florals, but there's also a funky earthiness to it. I think it's the patchouli and the sueded musk that really give it that funk. I also feel like there's some sort of truffle in this. It's not listed, but I get a soft hint of that unmistakable earthiness that truffle brings. It really is a special perfume that I always want to have in my collection. One of a kind. If you generally like these types of fragrances but didn't like this one, let this one sit and age for a few months and come back to it. It definitely benefits from aging. Oh, and always shake perfume oils before use as they can separate. This review is for the extrait, which lasts for ages. I can't even imagine what a beast the ultime is.

I ordered this in a sample set that I received back in December. After letting it rest over a week, I tried it, and....meh. White flowers and pachouli, maybe a dash of sandalwood. It's been a month, and I dug it out and tried it again today. You really have to let this rest for a while to appreciate it! Now it smells classic and feminine. Its florals are potent when first applied, but blend nicely into the warm sandalwood-and-vanilla dry down. The longevity really impressed me: I applied it sparingly on my wrists almost 9 hours ago, and I can still smell little whiffs of sandalwood and vanilla when I move my arms.

I did the classic mistake of writing this off when sampling it a few days after I received it. Retested it about 6 weeks after it arrived and it is now beautiful. Earthy powdery orris root, and light sweet violet. Vanilla blended smoothly into it all to sweeten and soften it all. I really have been craving this at bedtime. Lasts really well on clothes so I always take care to swipe some on the neck of what I'm wearing.

Yes, I know, lots of people think this smells like old lady. Maybe it's their skin chem or memory associations. I have to disagree though. Madam X is the epitome of classy florientals. It's reserved and cold, and very elegant. I have a problem with a few of the notes in general (citrus and violets), but they never give me issues in MX. The note that jumps out the most is the luxuriously smooth iris, with wafts of citrus, musk, and orchid accenting it. The base notes do act like base notes here, providing a pillow of warmth that grounds the scent. I can pick out soft suede and sandalwood. Don't mind the incense, it just adds a ghostly hint of smoke, but it is quite subtle. Think of them as accents as well, rather than star players. MX is very complex well blended, I have to applaud Sharra for a job well done.

Beautiful! Similar to Bohemiens en Voyage (also by Alkemia) in terms of the sweetness together with the slightly powdery and earthy facets of orris root. The vanilla is present all the time but the slight earthiness and powder in the other notes bring its sweetness down. Violets is usually a no-go for me, it suits this perfume and vanilla perfectly. It has a similarity to many of Lush's scents - if you like Lust or how it smells around a Lush store, give this a try. Also, if you never liked violets before, you should give this a try, as it's apparent but not dominating. Appreciated by both the men and women in my life, and one of my absolute favourites by Alkemia.