Anima Dulcis

I've slowly been making my way through the Arquiste line, and I have to say, Anima Dulcis is one of my favorites. In all honesty, most of this line is forgettable (L'etrog Acqua, El, and Ellá are nice but nothing special). However, the standouts are really special scents. Once I have the funds, I will definitely be purchasing the FB of this. On my skin, on first spray, I am overwhelmed by this deceptive white-floral scent mixed with oregano. I'm talking about *zero* vanilla, *zero* cacao, and *zero* spice. I actually believed upon first spray that I received the wrong sample of this one. However, 10 minutes later, incense notes started to hit me that I absolutely love and I knew that this was the right sample. These are the "baroque" notes that are listed on Arquiste's site. They absolutely smell like the inside of a church. Frankincense and myrrh-y, in the most beautiful way. A bit later on, the cocoa and paprika notes begin to shine underneath the incense notes. The cocoa, as other reviewers have noted, is less "chocolate" and more of a dry cocoa powder. The paprika adds a bit of spice to make this scent more interesting. In the background of everything, there is an addictively dry vanilla note that rounds everything out. This is a very perfumery perfume that I think you'll either love or hate. There is a powdery note buried in this frag which is the exact smell some people think of when they think of the word "perfume". Something about it feels extremely old-timey, but with a modern update. In my opinion, this is definitely unisex but leaning slightly masculine. I've never tried a warm-spicy fragrance with gourmand notes like this, but I'm totally obsessed with it. Whenever I wear it, I can't stop smelling myself. To me, this is more warm-spicy and less gourmand. The downside to Anima Dulcis is that I think this is one of the least impressive performers from this house. Sillage is decent, projection is average, and longevity is about average for me. After about 7 hours, the scent is totally gone from my forearm. It does persist on my chest, though, for about 8 hours. If you like chocolate scents, or if you like vanilla scents, you should absolutely give this a try. I can't wait for the weather to get colder so I can wear this more often.

This was love at first smell. I finally found a place where I live that does niche fragrances. I came, I stayed, it concquered me... I had not read anything about this fragrance on fragrantica and trying about 10 frags, I did a selection, 6 become 4, 4 became 2 and 2 became one. The last two I decided would be mine. Which ones were they? Anima Dulcis and FM Portrait of a Lady. When I smelled Anima Dulcis I wanted to cry with joy, I don't know why and how but this fragrance smells like me. It is how my home smells like when I come back from a long weekend. It has cinnamon, chilies, it has chocolate and there is vanilla. The most curious thing is that, without knowing I also bought a fragrance which name in latin, means my name in greek. When I curiously googled it I just stared at the screen in disbelief. What a wonderful coincidence. This will be a cherished, precious item in my collection. The bottle is to die for, the colour is of my beloved Irish Whiskey, and the name? The name is me :-) Longevity: This baby lasts. I have it on for 8 hours, it's a very close scent now but I have lost count of how many times I have sniffed myself since the last spray. Closing my eyes and inhaling deeply. 4.5/5 Sillage: Not that much. I get wafts here and there. 4/5 Projection: Moderate, this is not a sexbomb, this is a kind, good soul, she will look after you and cuddle you and love you in a tender, sweet way 4/5 I have such a massive crush on this perfume it's not even funny. PS: I just looked up the maker of this perfume. I have a crush on him as well :-)

Received a sample of this a few days ago and sprayed it on my husband's chest . . . oh, my!! All I can say is DELISCIOSO!!!!!!!! Wow. If I could afford a full bottle, I would SO be running out right now to buy one!! lol What interested me initially was the backstory (see their website - the art is beautiful and so evocative). My husband is from Mexico, and the first time we visited about 16 years ago, his abuelita (grandmother) brought out a platter of pan dulce (sweet breads) and a large pot of chocolate, which was made with fresh milk and stirred with that wooden mixer that you put between two palms and "swirl" (can't think of the name off the top of my head, but we own one now, too!) . . . anyway, Mexican chocolate is nothing like the hot cocoa we buy in the US. It is so rich and flavorful - it's heavenly, really. So, my initial interest was for a gourmand scent that would evoke these lovely memories . . . but, again - Wow! Yes, the rich cocoa wafts in and out (but not *too* much - it stays just long enough and then it disappears before just peeking through a bit here and there - perfect), and then you add that beautiful combination of the chilles, cinnamon, vanilla . . . it's just blended so well so as to form it's own unique scent, and I must say that scent just had me alternating between deep inhales, big smiles, and . . . <3 Needless to say, I would *highly* recommend this for men. For now we will savor this sample and start a savings fund for a full bottle (my husband agrees! *wink*)

This is a rich, incredibly blended fragrance. Warm, spicy and sophisticated. I couldn't keep from smelling my arm repeatedly - it's wonderful from the first application to hours later. The back story about the convent and the perfume fits perfectly. It does smell like walking the halls of a hundreds year old sanctuary while the nuns are cooking and the scent blows through. It is such a treasure of masterful blending that I could wear it everyday and never grow tired of it. Update: My FB arrived from Arquiste this week, and I have been enjoying the spicy rich perfume. I loved the sample, but I must admit that being able to spray adds a whole new dimension. It starts with a powerful almost heated blend of spices that reminds me of cooking in a hot kitchen. My mouth actually waters from the delicious aroma, although it is not a food smell but rather a subconscious reaction from cinnamon and vanilla. The drydown is a sophisticated subtle accord. Individual notes are able to be identified, but the whole is a scent that gives you a burst of delight each time you notice it. Anima Dulcis has a timeless quality. It doesn't make you think vintage or contemporary, but rather a masterpiece that is good for any age. Because of the cinnamon and spices, it reminds me of autumn and winter. Sillage is moderate, which for this type of scent is a benefit. It would be overpowering if it wasn't. Longevity on my skin is tremendous. I can still smell hints of it after 12 hours. This is a truly beautiful perfume.

As a gourmand affecianata, I have wanted so desperately to love this. It is easily liked, but something is off the mark with it. There is a kind of lightness and oddity in this scent 30-90 minutes in, after which it goes back to being just what it ought to be--perhaps a representation of the fermented cacao beans? Chili is apparent around the edges of the aroma, something you feel when you pull your nose away. Sillage is weak, longevity is there, but for the high price, I am determined to find something else. Compared to Jo Malone's Blue Agava & Cacao, this is creamier and has that odd fruit escapade in it, and, of course, greater longevity. EDIT: I have come to a peace with the odd sweetness, which I am now positive is the fermentation of cacao beans. Definitely the sweetness of the cocoa butter is present, and the warmth radiating off the top from the chili. I keep getting whiffs of this as I go through my day, every time thinking, "My goodness, what is that beautiful scent?" Just when I think it's gone, it continues to radiate with greater sillage than I had originally assessed. I think I love it. It is not a masterpiece, but is an interesting and unusual foray into familiar ingredients that I am slowly coming to adore. The drydown IS Mexican chocolate, bearing in mind that Mexican chocolate is creamier and less burdened and dark than its American cousin. Cozy and quiet and satiated, gourmand lovers really ought to treat themselves to try this... perhaps a few times. :)

I got a decant in a scent subscription this month. The first time I sprayed it, I was like "What is this??", because I had been expecting a Mexican hot chocolate type scent, and at first spray this was so deeply spicy I was confused. The next night I sprayed again before bed and was like, "WHAT IS THIS!!!!". I'm now totally in love with this. My nose is very sensitive to scent (I can smell things that no one around me even notices), but not sophisticated, so I don't tend to be able to pick apart specific notes in a fragrance (I think because it just gets quickly overwhelmed). To me, this is definitely not the gourmand that the notes seem to suggest, but is actually the warm, sexy scent of a campfire. I can smell the smoke coming off the fire, spicy and dry. An hour or so after spraying, it sweetens up some, and I get the cocoa (dry and warm-NOT sweet) and possibly a hint of vanilla. It is really loud at first spray, but tones down to nearly a skin scent quickly. I haven't ever smelled anything like this, and may have to splurge on a whole bottle, even though it is way more than I would usually spend on a fragrance. Side note- I layered this with Nest Cocoa Woods today and it is amazing, though most of the Nest has already burned out to the campfire scent of Anima Dulcis.

This perfume starts as a friend and ends as a lover. The initial spray, was a shock into alerted interest. The pepper start, almost citric in character, wakes the senses. I was startled. I knew that I liked it, but the composition was elusively vitrine, and surprisingly complex, for having only boasted 4 compounds to its structure. I had envisioned Mexican hot chocolate - sweet, spicy, tranquil and warm. But as we began to encounter the heart and base structure of this scent, a very assertive and clean cacao emerges. It arrives in hand with a bright cinnamon flare, as if each had been freshly ground for the wearer. Vanilla's sensibilities, amplified by floral whispers, transcend into the fully developed experience. Even with a base of familiar chords, there is nothing about this to take for granted. The smell is biotic and tempestuous - warming on the skin, and infusing the wearer with a sultry, smoking, incense halo. This perfume holds the spirit of both angel and demon. Soft like a woman's curves, and as dangerous as her intentions. My nose returns again and again, until the final rapture. Keenly aware, and ready to surrender to its charms, I am madly in love with this creation!

LOVE at first whiff, so strong, feel like there’s way more to this than the 4 notes listed above. Incense most definitely. Maybe amber or something resinous? Leather or something else animalic? This is hard for me to describe but it’s this a very viscous, thick, rich, oil-seeming quality oriental - not at all smoky, dusty, or powdery the way some orientals can be (Shalimar for example feels like a much smokier powdery oriental - but I feel like if you are a man who wears Shalimar, but are looking for something w/fewer traditionally femme notes, you would LOVE this). Reminds me of when you burn incense that’s a solid resin, not a stick or a cone. Not surprised the noses behind this also did JV Dark Rebel (quite spicy) and TF Velvet Orchid (which very much also has this same viscous, warm feeling to it to me) Definitely *not* just a gourmand EDIT: now that I’ve given this several wears over the past couple of years, it’s officially my Christmas time perfume. Feels so right for December and holiday festivities.

This fragrance is my chocolate dream in a bottle, I almost want to eat it whenever I spray ot on, the difference why it stands out from other cocoa based perfumes, is this surprising paprika note, which gives this mouth watering concotion a green berry like fresh and airy tissue, the accentuation of chocolate via cinnamon and vanille enriches the effect of this solo-floro cocoa scent, however if my notes is not mistaken, I get some distinct resins as well from ghis receipt, like frankincense dor example and also something zesty like bitter orange peels, also a very tiniest bit of animalic aura, like a very distant indolic ghost passes by time to time between the heart and base notes. I don't know, may be it's just my nose, but I adore this alternative chocolate perfume.

finally fragrance is added to the directory. this is the stand out in my opinion of the first release of fragrances from arquiste. it is a real gourmand. the cocoa and the chili is prominent. it has excellent longevity on me, at least 7-8hrs, with moderate projection for the first 3-4. people around me love this scent, it is really edible. this is a must try for fragrance lovers and for gourmand lovers it is a buy. when i first smelled this i instantly wanted it but needed to see if it lasted and projected, and it was up to my expectations. the others on the arquiste line are also well blended but this one is my favorite of the line. its a pricey bottle but for me it was worth it.

Wow, wow, wow! A really beautiful fragrance. Dusty, woody cacao, subtle vanilla, and a huge, spicy chili pepper note that sizzles with capsaicin. Anima Dulcis is inspired by a Catholic convent in Mexico City (circa 1695), and it definitely conjures a warm, deep, soulful, artisan feeling of Mexico. I was thinking that it didn't smell like anything I'd ever smelled before, but I see people here being reminded of Eris's Mxxx, and I can definitely see that comparison. The sparkle of Mxxx comes from natural ambergris, and in Anima Dulcis, it's from that incredible chili infusion.

What an interesting fragrance. It proves again how well cocao and chilli go together. A very nice dusty spicey opening with the cocoa swirling around in the background. The chilli is no 1 here followed by the cocao which is slightly sweetened by the vanilla and cinnamon. Its definitely bang on unisex. It is pretty linear on me which is ok but it doesnt make it very interesting after a while. Im disappointed in the moderate longevity and sillage considering the price point.

Perfume interesting! It is surprising to its development, a fragrance that knows ancient secrets. An evocative perfume, suitable for cold winter days... Unfortunately sillage is soft you should reapply every now and then. I like Anima Dulcis, this is the first scent I feel of Arquiste, I would also like to try others. All in all a nice elegant and refined scent in Baroque style. Sillage: 6/10 Longevity: 8./10 Scent: 8.5/10 Overall: 8.5/10

This is supremely pleasant and warming. I agree with other reviewers, it is not a dispersing scent. I adore the non-sweet vanilla, cocoa, and peppery fragrance here though. This is a contender for a scent I might buy my boyfriend, who is a little shy about wearing a strong scent. It might be a good choice for an introvert who wants to wear a fragrance for himself or his partner only, but not have it permeate a room. A delicious secret.

Wow this is goooooood. Warm, spicy, sweet and utterly delicious. I knew I would love it based on the notes, and I do. It's well rounded and beautifully blended, there are no hard edges to this perfume just warm waves of spiced chocolate and chilli notes. Heavenly. Great longevity and good sillage too, I do love a good gourmand. I would say, on reflection, that this perfume reminds me of Bal a Versailles.

I’ve had my bottle for almost seven years now and the juice is still in great shape. I purchased it on vacation in Mexico. It’s got such a wonderful dry down that projects into a an elegant yet cozy cloud with any sort of body heat. It’s not well known, but is unique and worthwhile to the point that it makes me want to purchase other offerings from the same perfumer.

Wow this is unusual. I've never had a perfume that I can smell the paprika in so strongly. It blends well with the chocolate and makes something really unusual and stunning. Hardly any cinnamon and the vanilla is just a base warmth. Sadly discontinued and very expensive because I would love a full bottle of this. Moderate projection, lasts around 6-8h on skin.

Oh my Goodness, the vanilla, warm spicy, cocoa notes are blended very well for fall/winter day and /or night. Reminds me of Mogadess by Maria Lux but a little stronger scent. This scent is perfect form the Thanksgiving and Christmas; baking and holiday candles being burned of pumpkin, cinnamon,caramel and spice. I will have to add this to my niche collection.

while i'll admit this is a slightly unusual combination of accords, i still think i love it. it's a very contemplative perfume. perfect for sitting with a good book or just wearing casually to add an air of personal devotion to your day. definitely sample on skin before going all in.

I fell in love with this at first spray. It's truly luscious, spicy, warm, just edible. I'm working my way through the Arquiste Discovery Set and this is definitely my favourite and certainly full bottle worthy. To my nose it is quite similar to Ambre Russe, but not quite as boozy.