Aer

He is looking, outside his Car. The steering is still in his hand. It’s a long drive. Just have stopped beside the highway for a quick rest! It’s afternoon. It’s summer. Still it’s a shady day. He is transported to a distant memory, in an afternoon quite similar to this. He was in High-School. Rebecca and he was sitting on a bench, beside a High-Way. He had a peppermint gum, in his mouth. Wind was blowing through the sun-dried long grasses. Hardly there was anyone. And then, there was their first kiss. He was excited, with a bit of guilt, the reason of which was unknown. The memory broke. Rebecca is not in his life after High-School. He looked back. His daughter is still asleep. He, again got the sense of guilt. He started his car. Aer, is all about a lonely afternoon, a shady day, the wind over the grasses, a kiss, with a peppermint and a sense of guilt. All the ingredients are soo well present. As, alfrarom says, it starts with the most realistic smell of grapefruit. The elemi, gives a pungent touch to it. But the star is the Mint. Such, a lovely one here. It’s soft, and earthy. I hardly get the vetiver.A perfume, for your solitude. Sillage: Soft. A skin perfume, to enjoy when you are with your own company. Longevity on my skin: Approx 4-5 Hours. I wonder, how a soft perfume like this remains there for such a long time Longevity on fabric: Approx 6 Hours Occasion: It’s a very interesting perfume, with soo much to say! Enjoy it yourself, in your lonely periods. This perfume works exceptionally well in warm seasons, rather than cooler ones. P.S: The bottle, with it’s rugged look and the Gothic Rose cap, is just marvelous!!! Rating: 8.5/10

What really compels me about most of the fragrances in the Ciampagna's range, is the level of competence these people transmit. Aer makes no exception. A summery take on vetiver loaded with hyper-realistic and never overly synth citruses (a great grapefruit note here), greens and subtle smoky notes. Think about an hypothetical mash up between Roucel's Kenzoair (the anisic, slightly sweet aspect of the vetiver), the smoky-minty facets of Harmatan Noir by Parfumerie Generale and the transparency of some of the most successful latest Hermes. Yes, Aer is all of the above but it also has that subtle twist that makes all the compositions by Angela Ciampagna, something that stand on their own. That certain twist you would expect from, say, Etat Libre D'Orange or even from one of the *easiest* Comme Des Garcons. A favortie. Rating: 8/10

Someone mentioned that Aer was their favorite in this “collection” and I have to agree. Though much simpler in structure than all of the ones I tried, it still easily became my favorite. Upon opening, one will get a citrus and mint combination, though the combination of patchouli and vetiver immediately tells the wearer that they’re a’ comin’. The citruses recede, the mint remains and the vetiver grows ever stronger. It evokes some fading memories that I can’t quite grasp at the moment. The heart is a greatly balanced juniper and vetiver. Eventually the vetiver recedes in power but remains the dominant aspect of Aer. Definitely will pick up a full bottle.

Extrait de parfum is long gone Kenzo Air mixed with Eau de Cartier Vetiver Bleu and turned into an Elixir. Edp is not worth buying. Very good longevity and quite nice projection.

Scent: 10/10 Quality: 10/10 Originality: 8/10 Sillage: 7/10 Projection: 5/10 Longevity: 7/10 Price VS Size: 9/10