Frånk

Frånk and Calacas are definitely cousins, but hear me out: Simon takes that lime-frankincense combo in a COMPLETELY different direction here. Calacas is sharp, zesty, sugary, sour lime gummies in liquid form. Frånk, however, is unabashedly aquatic, toeing the line into aldehydic territory, almost. (I'm guessing that's the ylang ylang doing the talking.) The mango feels very pulpy to me, in the best way possible. If I didn't know any better I'd think there was a bowl of freshy sliced pieces next to me right now. I appreciate how it offers those fresh, watery nuances, but also gives the fragrance a fruity edge that compliments everything else going on in here - the citrus, the floral, the amber. I can just imagine how much of an absolute banger this would be in the summer months.

Wow - part of a sample box and it is rare a fragrance gets my attention like this. So fresh and the smell of lime and lemon straight from the first spray and lingering, but with the deeper notes coming through every now and then. This is very different whilst i do not usually like citrus notes, this is in my top list to try more of. Underneath is the vanilla and a dark earthy overtone that matches the citrus perfectly.

This is an interesting one, and I'm not sure I'm getting what other people are getting from Frank. I get the citrus, but it's more of a candied citrus as opposed to fresh one. There is something almost medicinal about it. The general vibe is that of hard candy; it's limey but it's sweet. Citrusy but not overly so. It's fizzy, in a way it reminds me of parma violet sweets. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the fizziness reminds me of the original Lolita Lempicka? Which is strange considering how little overlap there is between the ingredients. The way this perfume is blended makes it difficult for me to distinguish individual ingredients. I get no mango nor vanilla. Something resinous (perhaps that's olibanum), yes, and something fresh, but that's it. If scents were colours this is deep green and purple. Definitely an intriguing and original scent, and potentially a bit of a head turner. At the moment I find it a bit too medicinal for regular wear, but who knows?

Incense, one of the heaviest known fragrance notes, has been completely toned down by becoming a supporting note to the lime. The lime becomes earthier and rich in the presence of incense, which is sweetened and softened with vanilla invoking something like coastal sandstone. I think this is actually a really great fragrance for what it is trying to accomplish, I just find it a little bit plain, particularly in the dry-down when the citrus has mostly evaporated. It could be that the perfumer prefers to keep things simple and let such an unusual combination speak for itself. Perhaps simplicity is the key, it's just not quite enough to keep me wanting more. With that being said, it is one of the better lime focused fragrances I have sampled (Bohemian Lime, Guerlain Homme, Foconero etc.) so I think it should be commended for that.

On my skin, this is like a mango and lime version of the Apple and Lemongrass perfume from LUSH, called Love, they smell like sisters.... almost non-identical twins when worn. Love is more medicinal and stronger, but feels quite similar to wear. The deep dry down of Frank veers off and gives me slight vibes of Shade from LUSH - their stunning sweet sandalwood and olibanum perfume - but with a fruity top. Frank is a perfume that makes me feel happy! It's tangy but it's smooth. It’s zesty but it's sweet. It's bright but it's warm. Honestly such a joy to wear! You could argue that I don't need a full bottle of it because I have both Shade and Love and maybe if I layer them it will smell like Frank, but that doesn't stop me wanting a full bottle of Frank ‘cause it’s amazing! *I had to get the 10ml because I love the mango!

Ah, the tang of broken illusions! Wanted / expected / was seeking: a rich rounded warm frankenmyrrh with modern ethics and a bit of extra sparkle from some fruit up top. Got: a very assertive lemon-limey gummy bear with the occasional waft of vague resin when it's dried down a bit. Verdict: nice enough, very well priced, unisex, clean, honest-seeming and respectable. But simply not the creature I was hunting for. More of a citrus with a distant resin backup backdrop, than the resin-centric beast I'd dare to hope the generally admirable house of And might serve up when tackling the frankincense theme. Worth a try for chaps looking to smell out a quirky freshie with unusual depth. But for silly girls like me looking for a big beefy Sahara Noir-alike with a fruity twist - fuhgeddabout it!

Gold, frankincense and myrrh. A strong citrus lime opening that literally made my mouth water it’s so juicy. Fresh, slightly spicy, and aromatic. I can’t identify the middle notes, but just get an overall tropical kind of sweetness mixed with citrus and myrrh. I also get myrrh in the dry down, sweetened by a little vanilla. And a touch of the lemon-lime citrus remaining throughout. Maybe my nose is sensitive to myrrh, but while I like it, I find it turns this more into an autumn winter scent, whereas I’d usually go for such a bright, citrus opening in the summer, so it confuses me as to when I’d reach for this, maybe a summer night? Really unusual, as I’m coming to expect from this house, and I will definitely enjoy trying my sample again.

The lemon-lime opening, coupled with the vanilla comes across as a green-red jellybean, which I am very keen on. It plays out a little, a little over an hour, and the resins come out and fill out the scent. Whilst it isn't ground-breaking or even all that interesting (sorry to be that blunt), I did enjoy it, though, if I am being COMPLETELY sincere, there just isn't enough here to keep me interested. I did like the jellybean element, and the lemon-lime pairs well with the frankincense, which can at times come across a little citrusey, and the myrrh works well in the background. This is a solid 'like', but not quite a 'love'. Still very nice and totally worth trying out...

Frånk by ånd fragrances is a amazingly refreshing hot weather fragrance. The citrus opening is wild. Sweet lemon and lime leaning more towards zest than juice, but the sweet mango balancing the sharp characteristics perfectly. There is a floral element, but it’s subtle and the citrus gives way to a deeper resinous note as it dries down. Olibanum and myrrh play a fantastic secondary role to the opening citrus, but don’t replace it completely. Really surprising longevity given the use of lemon and lime. Refreshing, clean, and really beautiful. Simon Constantine is a incredible nose, but with Frånk he’s delivered something artistic yet truly wearable.

This starts with Rowntree's fruit gum lime, juicy and sweet, yet is also sour. It quickly turns into a warm fruity curry, like something with tamarind, I guess that's the lime and the olibanum mixing. It's only lightly spicy (without looking at the notes I would have guessed some spices in here not olibanum) and a little woody. It's quite gentle yet it's a quite a strong one. The lime sticks around for an hour or so prominently but does fade back. The far dry down is more incensey, but a light fruity slightly warm one. It lasts around 4 hours on me. Not for me, but extremely distinctive, a lovely one for the warm weather for someone.

Unexpectedly pronounced citrus opening that fades down pretty fast to a generally good feeling fruity, resinous incense vibe. An easy reach for, but nothing outstanding. Definitely worth a sample though, I'm reading that folk get different things from this one with skin chemistry, and my own experience bears that out. Lots of love for this house! Super strong ethics, and OK, I'm not a fan of this of big bitter woodies or patchoulli ('bark' and 'patch', respectively), and 'cake' is terrifically oversweet, but the rest of them are REALLY good! The sample set is a brilliant way in too!

After trialing & falling in love with Måd - I'm so disappointed with Frank. Used 3/4 of a trial bottle in one day, I can't smell anything.

Oh, this one is fun. Such an exuberant fragrance! That first blast of citrus is shockingly juicy, and the rich, resinous base provides some gravity - though it’s still a wilful, energetic heart that stays playful right to the end. That fizzy frankincense is a total joy. It’s so prototypically Lush (Lord of Misrule shares it, along with the vivid green colour), a relic of the days when that brand was still interesting, but polished just enough that it really shines. I guess it’s the time of year but what thrills me most about this fragrance is the way it reinterprets such traditional elements - namely, frankincense and myrrh - and offers the chance to experience them differently. Living in the southern hemisphere, the typical seasonal scents of christmas (pine, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc) don’t really resonate when it’s 30C outside. I’m already excited to wear this fragrance for summer festivities, to revel in its revelry.

Smells like lime Starburst and then dries down to a kind of sweaty frankincense and myrrh. I wish it was better than that but it's not. And that's my favourite of the lot. Who's going to tell them they need to change their name to something actually googleable? This man is one of the best in British perfume, shame things aren't going better, maybe soon they will.

Lemon flavored hard candy, long forgotten in a pocket of your handbag. Forgettable bordering on unpleasant.

ya i could see still life a little, bohemian lime no, so far again neat idea but not a love

Tangy lemon n lime frankincense like a haribo sour. Not very keen.