Beån

I do have more to say about beån. But for now i just want to get out of me that this is a really nice alternative to Opus XIV – Royal Tobacco from Amouage if you want a less expensive alternative or you want something a little less beast mode but love the smoky somewhat salty liquorice accord of the royal tobacco. Then you can find that here. I think it is the fennel together with the lavender and the tonka that creates a liquorice smelling accord even though liquorice or liquorice smelling herbs like anise are not present in this concoction, at least according to what’s listed here on fragrantica. But regardless the overall vibe is very similar. I notice that some interprets the notes here as chocolate. And even though I can sort of understand how that happens, especially if you are not from a culture immersed in liquorice of all kinds like us Scandinavian folks, (which the name and the brand sort of plays with even though it’s not a Scandinavian brand...) - I must kindly try to push you a little further into the sultry goodnesses of liquorice which is more what I get from Beån. As this is a lot more liquorice than it will ever be chocolate. So peple looking for chocolate won’t be disappointed... And liquorice loving people don’t miss out... So if you ask me beån does smell like royal tobacco’s little brother (or sister) who doesn’t need to go all regal in but is allowed to smooth things out a bit... if that makes sense. This is woody, and smoky and clearly has a salty liquorice vibe that is quite intoxicating. And even though it may not blow your socks off like the royal tobacco does with its beast mode projection and crowd owning silage. Beån still has that tempting vibe that makes you want to stick your nose into its salty (and sweet) liquorice smoky sweet woodyness again and again. It projects a lot less compared to royal tobacco but still gives off a moderate projection. And keeps you as its wearer in a nice little scent bubble that may not offend anyone even if they do not like either smoke or liquorice. But still keep you in its indulgent sultryness. The dry down is softer for sure and there you may detect some of the orange and neroli as well which comes out when the smoky ness dispers a little. A true comfort scent in my opinion that suits all people who like this kind of scent profile. On me it lasts about 6-8 hours on my skin but becomes a bit more of a skin scent as the day goes on. ❣️

I do like this one and I will wear it and be happy in it - it is a very warm, softly spicy, comforting hug of a scent - I just can't quite get past how much it puts me in mind of the newer formulation of CK Obsession. I don't know why, but it is a really strong connection for me. Lots of love for this house! Super strong ethics, and OK, I'm not a fan of big bitter woodies or patchoulli ('bark' and 'patch', respectively), and 'cake' is terrifyingly sweet, but the rest of them are REALLY really good!! Big recommendation!! - the sample set is a brilliant way in too!

So, I have a friend whose nickname is Bean and so finding out there's an actual scent called simply "Bean" as well (even though they're taking our Swedish å letter in everything they do for some weird reason), I knew I had to get it for him for his birthday. Also reading the notes and saying it was about giving vindication to the tonka bean, and that the focus was supposed to be vanilla vanilla vanilla, I felt that it was kind of a safe bet, because who DOESN'T like vanilla? It's a reason it's a code word for "the most common" for a reason. So my package arrives in my mailbox and it REEKS of licorice. And I check the box and see that it is indeed from Ånd Fragrances and I realise the bottle must have broken during transport. So I film myself opening the box and, just as predicted, a bit over a third of the bottle is empty and the inside of the bottle carton is HEAVILY stained and overwhelmingly smells of licorice. So I write the company and tell this this happened that I have video evidence that this is not just me decanting for dear life, and ask for a new bottle and a freight slip to return this broken bottle. To my surprise customer support told me immediately that they'd send me a new bottle without any extra cost and that I could keep the broken bottle. And so my friend got his full, immaculate bottle and I got a bonus perfume that I've enjoyed over the last 18 months or so. And so for the scent itself, I again have to lean into territory perhaps only swedes will know, but there is a cough syrup in Swedish pharmacies, or a least used to, called Quilla Simplex. It's a very heavy sticky syrup. This is EXACTLY that in a scent. And as mentioned twice already, as much as the official words from the company described is as the revenge of the tonka bean, this is a LICORICE scent front and center. Now, I got the Edt and not the Edp so am not sure how the concentrations perhaps changes the scent in a heavier quality, but for the EDT I can only smell licorice, in a warm, synthetic way, for the first hour or so, and then the tonka bean comes through and it becomes a very pleasant skin scent vanilla that actually lasts for quite a long time. It's not something I'd buy again as it is VERY medicinal, even for me who seem to have a knack for scents others perceive as medicinal, and while I kinda do enjoy eating licorice it's still quite divisive, even in Sweden the country of salty licorices. But it's definitely a unique scent that doesn't smell like any other perfume I've put my nose to so far, so there's definitely that.

Chocolate orange goodness! Bean opens with sweet dark tonka with lavender and orange. Orange like the juicy fruit of a slightly overripe orange, not the light peel scent. It quickly settles to become a more aromatic version of itself, with a herbal note added that I couldn't put my finger on. Maybe a whisper of a floral note as well. It's quite a thick scent, with the orange and herbal aspects keeping it from being too heavy. The tonka used is a bit unusual, and actually reminds me of some of the kids vanilla flavoured lip balms from the 90's. Simon Constantine from ånd created perfumes for Lush so maybe that's where the memory comes from. After about a half hour of wear, Bean settles to smell just like a chocolate orange on the skin! A little unexpected but as a lover of Terry's Chocolate Orange I personally quite enjoy it. Try Bean if you're into gourmands, or looking for something a bit fun and a little unique for casual events or days out with the kids. I think the heaviness and sweetness would become cloying in the heat so keep it for cooler weather. Edit: I asked my partner what they thought of Bean after wearing it for about an hour and he instantly said "liquorice!". I do really see how the herbal note in the dry down could be perceived as aniseed which I hadn't realised earlier.

I tried this earlier today, (a couple of collegues and I clubbed together to purchase a 10ml bottle at £35) It's much more smoky than i had imagined it would be, but in a good way. It's not a 'smooth vanilla either. Very warm, herbal and deep. I almost got hints of Lush's long discontinued 'Creme Anglaise' body lotion and a massage bar from the Lush Spa which I think was called Confidence. Very unisex, especially with the fennel note.

I got this sample when I have ordered a Nez book and it is actually a good one! Its a tonka bean scent ; warm and chocolatey, almost like a chocolate cream/mousse in the dry-down on skin. The note of fennel is more then like a licorice scent, my husband and I thought it was a licorice bomb when we fist smelled it. I recommend you this if you love gourmands licorice.

Vanilla flavoured liquorice. A bit nutty, creamy and delicious. If you know what tonka smells like, then this is strongly tonka, it’s delicious. One of my favourites from the sample box! Sadly it disappears from my skin in a couple of hours.

Do you REALLY love tonka? That is the question. If you're not sure then this will make you find out. Personally I'm not a huge fan, although it lurks in the bass section of many scents I love. For me the bean's incredibly durable sweetness has something kind of unnerving about it. Something about it always reminds me of the sense of slight disappointment when you bite into really cheap, waxy chocolate, and the mouthfeel's all wrong and there's no taste of cocoa solids. It doesn't repel me and I recognise its worth, in providing that incredibly smooth, reliable, one-note, solid-sweet base to so many confections. It adds richness and bottom and creamy comfort. But in excess - or centre stage, as here - it just doesn't excite me. Just sort of generic not-quite-chocolate sweetness. And - oh no! - it brought along some lavender, another too-sweet-for-me offender, in tow as its principal partner in this scent. Fennel I can enjoy or not, but in this company it adds up to over-sweet and a little cloying. Seemed to be trying a bit too hard for a 'aw, I'm just one of the girls - tell me all your secrets (giggle!)' vibe - no real harm in it, but a little squealy and cutesy and still kind of overbearing. HOWEVER: if you love tonka and don't share my prejudices: this is proper bean business. It's absolutely unquestionably THERE, it's a true representation of the note, it projects big and lasts long and costs extraordinarily little for what it has to give you. If its publicity blurb is accurate, it's also sustainably made and does good things for producers. I'll leave quietly with apologies to the Frank brand - this one's not for me - but this sort of true tonka should earn plenty of other takers.

Mmmmm yeah, I dunno about this one, chief. I expected a lot more - Simon is the brainchild behind many fan favourite Lush fragrances but maybe I built my expectations too high? The scent is... okay. Actually, I don't even know if I like it or not because the longevity sucks! I figured it'd have at least somewhat decent lasting power due to the lavender, tonka and fennel but nope, completely gone by the 2h mark. If you're wanting that "liquorice but make it watery and refreshing" vibe, try Junk by Lush instead. Not only does it stick around for a lot longer, not only is it FAR more pleasant to the nose, it's a heck of a lot cheaper! (In fact, the cheapest of Lush's liquid perfumes!)

First impression: rather musty cocoa bean and tonka. Dusty old room. I was very surprised to see fennel and lavender in the ingredients and no cocoa or coffee! I don't know what gives it this odd, stuffy mustiness, but it's not what I expected from the ingredients. In fact, I expected it to be my favourite from the entire And range, as I'm big fan of both tonka and lavender + the citrus in the top notes. So far, this seems to agree with me the least, although I'm still willing to give it a try.

I was looking forward to this one from the note, but literally all I have had for the last hour on my skin is anniseed. I get none of the citrus, lavender or tonka, the prominent note for me is the fennel. I guess this is just how bizarre fragrance works on different peoples skin. Again, this was quite sweet when I first sprayed it onto a tester strip but now that sweetness is pretty much gone, very odd indeed. It's not a hate, more a minor dislike for me.

Beån by ånd fragrances is the definition of tonka bean forward (and backward, and sideward, frankly in all four dimensions). This fragrance will absolutely determine if you like your tonka bean note as a subtle underlying component to your fragrances, the kettle drum to your orchestra, or like the lead guitar like in a 80s glam metal band. You’ll know. Trust me. Whilst the tonka bean dominates, and I mean DOMINATES, the addition of fennel is really interesting. The fennel note provides an liquorice like quality, but with a vegetable-like subtlety. Very artistic and quite beautiful. But it’s not for everyone. My wife summed her impression up by stating Beån was an appropriate name as it smelled like a ‘black jelly bean awash with paint remover’. A little harsh, but I can see where she’s coming from. True art confronts and Beån does that.

Black Licorice is all this smells like. I cannot detect any of the other notes except Fennel/Anise/Licorice bomb. If that's your thing, run don't walk to buy this. It isn't my thing unfortunately.

WHEW this is a LICORICE scent. if you don't like that scent profile you will not enjoy this. I threw my sample away it was straight up fennel. I really wasn't able to appreciate it for what it is cuz it just smells like a star anise fennel bomb.

Very interesting. The opening is unique - smelled to me like a "healing crystals" shop + a cannabis dispensary + a lot of very zesty citrus, mostly orange. Very green too. In the heart, it becomes lavender dominant, but retains a sort of herbal, green, astringency. Medicinal even. There are also definite minty touches, as well as a big dose of anise flavor from the fennel. Bubbling underneath is the warm, nutty, vanillic tonka bean, which becomes the signature of the fragrance in the base. Even just smelling some of the others from the set on strip, there is a pronounced gourmand touch woven through most (all?) of them. Beån stays just this side of cakey. Beån is a lavender fougere, dressed to go to Coachella.

I feel like I would love this if there was way more tonka and way less fennel. The balance just doesn't work for me as the aniseed ball scent from the sweetened fennel just smells sooooo medicinal - I was really hoping for more lavender, tonka and orange but something about this combination smells a bit like a dark and bitter chocolate orange stuffed with pepper and aniseed. Just to add, this smells much nicer in the colder weather. The same as above but in the drydown there is almost a fennel tea vibe and a softness, where as in warmer weather it felt a bit harsher! I'm kind of digging what it turns into!

This is definitely unique. It has a warm, vanillic, resinous base that is cut right through with sinus-clearing lavender and liquorice-like fennel - and make no mistake, the fennel looms large here with its herbal, aniseedy character. This perfume is strangely cosy and austere at the same time. I haven't encountered anything quite like it. Very interesting to sniff, and totally unisex - but it has a strong personality and I would suggest sampling before buying.

what a rad ingredient combo! kinda agree with couple reviews below, i think idea was super awesome but he might want to revisit it, needs rebalancing, maybe couple more things to make everything work like orris butter or jasmine?