Portrayal Woman

Category: White floral Notes: Jasmine, jasmine, JASMINE! Within a few minutes a wet tobacco and a piney note begin emerging in the background, but it subsides back to a pure jasmine within the hour. Oddly sweet, very indolic and kind of stings your nose a little if you inhale it too deeply at first, I suspect that’s the elemi. It does however soften significantly with time and settles in a sweet, clean jasmine. Vibe: Romeo & Juliet. Theater stage & elaborate stage decorations. Unrequited or forbidden love. Gentle kisses. Accidentally making eye contact with a stranger on the bus. Crush. Intoxication. Infatuation. Euphoria. Dreams. The Priestess in Tarot. Subconscious. Otherworldly. Obsession. Crystal ball. Sillage: 10/10. This is LOUD, or at least it is at first. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a perfume with this level of projection before. Definitely helps me understand why Amouage fragrances are so darned expensive. It is very overpowering in the beginning but does settle down within 30 minutes to a place where it’s actually wearable. Longevity: 7/10. A little less impressive on the longevity but still decent. I got approximately 8 good hours out of this which is absolutely fine in my book. Wear: Day or night, leaning day. If you’re gonna wear this to the office make sure you spray it on at least 30 minutes before arriving, or you’re gonna choke out all your coworkers. I can imagine this being absolutely mesmerizing on a hot summer night. I love it even now, but it does feel slightly misaligned in the middle of December. Overall rating: 8/10. When I first sprayed this on I didn’t like it at all. It was loud and abrasive and had a strange undertone that I suspect comes from the elemi; it smelled the way chewing a fresh pine needle tastes - green, bitter, sour. It does not take long at all before this quality disappears entirely, or perhaps it doesn’t and instead I adjusted to the strangeness, regardless it grew on me and did so quickly. The jasmine in this is to die for, indolic as all hell, smooth, mesmerizing. If I had to convey this scent to someone that hadn’t smelled it before, I think it’d be best done through the feeling it invokes, rather than the notes themselves; it brings me back to when I was 14 and falling in love. That heady, dizzying feeling of a first kiss. The almost physically painful longing, of wanting to be so close to someone you almost want to rip them apart and crawl inside. This smells exactly how an infatuation so powerful you think it’s going to end you feels. The crazy thing is, I wouldn’t even say this is a particularly unique or revolutionary white floral, but there’s just something in there - the same way perhaps some authors are just able to evoke a certain feeling, even if the story and tropes have been beaten to death a hundred times over. In the same way, Portrayal has a voice. She reminds me of the theater, aptly, and elaborate plays about tragic love. I spent well over a year trying to get a hold of this perfume - either as a sample or (less ideal) a used bottle at a reasonable price and had no luck with either. Then just two weeks ago I came in contact with the lovely @JanaVK here on Fragrantica who happened to have this in her collection and was so kind as to share a decant with me. I got her end of the swap we did last week, and not until today did I feel like it was time to sit down and try it. After just 30 minutes of spraying this on - I had already fallen in love and was mourning the loss of this gorgeous scent that I’d never be able to afford - as fate would have it, a near full 100ml bottle of Portrayal Woman popped up for sale for dirt cheap near me at 1:50am when no one could beat me to the punch. It was like the universe was speaking directly to me, saying “you have to have her, of course you do!” And when the cosmos talks, I listen. To say I jumped on the opportunity would be an understatement. Gorgeous, stunning, unforgettable and best of all - she’s mine! Can’t wait to get to know her more intimately. Who would wear it?: Juliet in Romeo & Juliet. Rose in Titanic (1999).

This is a review from someone who is not big on jasmines in perfumes because they often smell sharp. This smells like jasmines in full bloom in Olympus. Mystical, sparkling, airy, intoxicating, nectar-like, and downright bewildering. Sharp cat-piss synthetic jasmine who? THIS is jasmine at its best. I don't know what else Amouage added to the jasmine, but they did the flower a favour. The opening is a fruity jasmine in full bloom. The super fruity jasmine smell tones down a little very quickly. After two hours, the tobacco and vanilla mingle with the jasmine so beautifully, leaving you with this amazing concoction. So it's a fruity-ish (like subtle pomegranates or berries) jasmine, with a background of this dry tobacco, but somehow it remains very creamy. The elemi gives it a citrusy undertone. The jasmine, tobacco, vanilla, and the citrusy undertone smell in the mid-to-drydown range of this perfume reminds me of shalimar souffle de parfum, but not as powdery, and much more "Amouage" smelling. I got a few friends who didn't know the fragrance or notes, and they all said it smells like incense and something sweet. I can see how this might resemble a "lighter" Memoir Woman. I have a hard time finding fragrances for the warmer seasons that are complex and intriguing while remaining relatively light, and this fits the bill perfectly. Edit: According to Chong, the inspiration behind this perfume was women and cultural liberation in the 20s. No boundaries, people having fun, finding their identities. Jasmines were commonly used in perfumes for their sensuality in the 1920s, and people paired their fragrance with arrogance, lace, pearls, and smoking cigarettes. I think Portrayal Woman embodies this perfectly. Another edit: After wearing it for a few days, I must say it's very gorgeous. This would layer so well with leather, vanilla, almonds, or woods. This fragrance reminds me of Swan lake; the contrast between the good & evil of Odette and Odile. Both ethereal, mystical, and elegant, yet this fragrance borders between the depth and mystery of the dark and the effervescent element of the light.

This is my second review after a proper testing session: This legit smells like some Balsamic Massage oil (Cajuput/Eucalyptus oil - which is a cousin of tea tree), along with Nail polish, Herbal tea, Oriental spices and Thierry Mugler's Alien - and, I don't know if my sample got old but its turning sour on my skin by the minute! I'm not actually saying its bad, hear me out - Somewhere in Arabia, a young lady put out her camel light cigarette and applied a relief essential oil that she had gotten from her holiday in Bali. She then spritz a pump of TM's Alien to mask the smells and headed to the traditional Souk to re-stock her frankincense. Through the shaded bazaar, she calmly glided while sipping a steaming cup of Jasmine-mint tea, passing by crates of potent jasmine petals, herbal roots, and spices from Asia. Afterwards, she went to the waterfront promenade to enjoy the rest of her tea, and as the cool sea breeze hits, the wind catches the eclectic symphony of scents clinging to her flowing dress, uplifting her mood and calming her nerves. But wait, I'm picturing another scenario: A lobby of a five-star hotel, somewhere exotic, in the late 1970s. High-class diplomats are smoking premium cigarettes in the lounge, while the scent of a luxury Thai Spa wafts in from across the hall. It is grand, nostalgic, and slightly medicinal. Final Verdict: The way this fragrance transports me through different dimensions and eras is incredible. Despite the "sour" turn and the medicinal edge, I think I’m hooked. I need a bottle. Key words: Carnal, Nostalgic, Ethereal, Opulent, Elegant, Composed, Earthy. Comforting, Oriental. Nail Polish/Plastcy. Herbal, Tea Leaves, Jasmine. Sweet, Syrupy, Cooling, Balsamic, Peppery. Skin-chemistry-sensitive (Salty/Sour). 12 hours later: Lasts a long time on skin, and stays a little closer there. It dries down to a syrupy-sweet and carnal scent. The formula will react to your skin chemistry, so please test it on your skin!

Portrayal Woman is an odd-but-excellent jasmine scent. A simple construction by Amouage standards, it is a rich, well-balanced interpretation of jasmine from the exceptional Annick Ménardo (the nose behind Hypnotic Poison and Lolita Lempicka - the best gourmands out there in my opinion). One of the last releases under Christopher Chong (a real loss for Amouage), Portrayal is up there with the best from this house. Interesting and creative, yet cohesive and beautiful, it is a deceptively simple, yet multifaceted beauty. Portrayal opens with rich, creamy jasmine. Slightly sweet and wonderfully lush, it is not indolic - instead, the flower is showcased at its best here. The smoky tobacco that follows is used to great effect - it enhances the heady, rich jasmine beautifully. It adds an androgynous, modern twist to classical white florals - slightly sexy and edgy - reminiscent of a cool girl with artfully smudged eyeliner lounging by an ashtray on a night out. It reminds me a little of Elizabeth & James Nirvana Amethyst here - white florals and tobacco - but Portrayal is in a league of its own. Elemi emerges after a little while, adding a beautiful green balsamic, incense-like quality to the base, complementing the smoky jasmine to perfection. Elemi is not the most common amber/resin ingredient, but I am partial to its relative crispness. Portrayal is utterly addictive here. A restrained vanilla note adds some smooth sweetness to the base, prolonging the sweet florals and complementing the balsamic elemi nicely. It fades to a soft balsamic-sweet, slightly smoky skin scent after some time. Sillage is quite strong and longevity is long-lasting. Transseasonal and versatile, this can be worn day or night. Utterly delicious throughout, Portrayal is masterfully composed and beautifully balanced. It is still somehow baroque despite its relatively short list of notes. Unfortunately for my wallet, this is another full bottle I need. Exceptional. 5/5.

Amouage, you have done it again. Made me fall head over heels for a floral perfume that’s significantly out of my price range/budget, but somehow manages to smell so intoxicating, I know I’m powerless to its charms. I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until I own a full bottle. This gorgeous sweet jasmine + vanilla perfume took me by surprise. When this fragrance was first launched I read the note of tobacco and ran for the hills as that note usually disagrees with me. Well now I see that note isn’t voted highly on the scent pyramid and luckily I agree. I don’t get anything really smoky to this perfume, it is just creamy and lush. The jasmine note is undeniably present and identifiable but it doesn’t become indolic. Think Tom Ford’s Jasmin Rouge, with an added vanilla sweetness. This one has fantastic performance with just 1 spray I could smell it strongly for hours radiating from my arm, taunting me with its beauty. Upon the drydown it becomes slightly bubblegum-ish, but not sickeningly so. I think by that point the elemi note is also sheerly present providing a nice balance to counter the sweetness. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled a more impeccably executed sweet jasmine perfume. This makes Mugler Alien look like amateur hour, and that one is masterpiece worthy in its own right, make no mistake. I don’t know what type of sorcery Amouage is practicing that allows them access to ingredients that make me fall in love with every single one of their perfumes but I hope they never lose it because I think they are on their way to being my favorite house of all time, and this perfume quickly shot it’s way into my top 3 from the house. I better start saving my money today, nothing else will be able to satisfy me until I’m holding this gorgeous bottle in my hands and sniffing the perfume of Angels.