Bing Ma Yong

I came upon Auphorie, I assume, the way many others come upon new releases by niche houses - via a glowing review of one of its fragrances by a rather vocal and well-known critic. And being just across the causeway from the brothers who founded this house, I am intrigued by their efforts, and based on this first sample out of three that I could procure they certainly deserve their reputation. I was expecting a very dark funereal vibe, an absence of light, youth and femininity, like the ancient subterranean caverns of terracotta effigies lined up for battle. The thought of what could possibly be a terracotta note intrigued me; the bitterness of Vetiver and the medicinal note in orris root sounded like good approximations of damp clay, and I was not disappointed. I’m a perfume novice and some part of me wishes I could have tested this totally blind, with no prior knowledge of Auphorie or the name of this scent to guide my perception in any way, because to my nose this is at first so unusual. If I had come upon it randomly while browsing a perfume counter (even a good niche one) this would have made me stop and question it again. The total lack of flowers should make it harshly masculine, but that bright tang of orange at the top rescues it from being stoic and lifeless, and I assume the musks do the same for the drydown, which, in particular brings very personal memories of exploring the cabinets and wardrobes in my grandmother’s home, encountering the comforting yet slightly foreign smells of her collection of French perfumes, chinese ointments and Yardley powders and cosmetics that she had been given but never really used (she was a simple lady who, like most of her generation here, never went to school and never acquired a certain sophisticated vanity that comes with education and a privileged upbringing). Three decades later, contemporary perfume and cosmetics somehow do not have any relation to that rich powdery aroma of my childhood, and now that I am older I seem to crave that kick of recognition once again (4711 Cologne and Mitsouko are two items that have been identified from that treasure trove, along with a very economical Yardley body powder and an ubiquitous Chinese face powder). It is fascinating that such exquisite materials as used by the Au brothers could resuscitate such a humble memory for me, more so because the formula has somehow artificially acquired a gorgeous patina of age, as if they have managed to time-travel, put this in a time capsule, and retrieve it in 2019. As someone else mentioned there is something about hand cream about it that makes it a surprisingly easy to wear feminine perfume, but it is far more gorgeous and Long-lasting in the skin than that.

Bing Ma Yong is a 3 stage perfume that goes like this: aldehydes and flowers for 1 to 2 mins, then peaches come out like in Diaghilev - another 3-5 mins, and base enters, which is something between Nivea hand cream and paloma picasso. With nice soft flowers, sharpness that's nose piercing and then their civet musc base that is distantly familiar by oubilee dunhuang. Longevity is around 6 hrs on skin, but it sits close to the skin. Potent in the beginning but mellows down. Also its more feminine than masculine, but at the end its personal choice. Edit: First time i come back to edit a review. This perfume must have been really young and didnt undergo maceration. I was about to give it away, but gave it one more wear and LOOORD! It is really good now, all the sharpness is gone, it turned more to base notes and acquired an old world character. Now it is more masculine, brown color association, and in style of diaghilev, not the same, but that direction. Happy with it now and keeping it to myself :)

Bing Ma Yong from Auphorie is quite a peculiar olfactory journey that succeeds in portraying the vision it draws inspiration from while pulling from the roots of vintage perfumery aesthetic. If I were to guess, works like Guerlain's Djedi. It is a dark and mysterious perfume, with vintage bits and an ancient aura around it. Contradictory, the opening is surprisingly bright and joyful. An intricate introduction displaying aldehydes, spices, oranges, and vague floral notes. A cooling breath from the cloves transporting a faint floral accord and a zesty orange breeze. It lasts about 5 minutes before it starts to darken slowly and surely. The orris and vetiver pair together to help suggest a terracotta, dry clay-like accord. The orris feels earthy, rooty, and powdery, while the vetiver only amplifies its rooty facets hinting at the idea of life underneath the earth. The interplay creates this dry clay accord, not wet, as some compositions might unfold, such as Olympic Orchids Salamanca. The powderiness of the orris seems to suggest the dust that collected over the terracotta figures. In the base, the perfume shifts to a dusty, worn leather accord, lots of musks, mostly civet, spicy sandalwood, and the everlasting orris. It ends here and stays like that for many hours. I love this stage. It smells beautifully in the sillage, always throwing out subtle different facets. Sometimes more of the civet, others the spicy sandalwood, powdery orris, or old leather. As bright as the opening is, the darker the final stage feels. It walks in the footsteps of compositions like Djedi and its more modern interpretation in Sultan Pasha's Thebes. It beautifully portrays the discovery of the first Qin Emperor's Mausoleum and the atmosphere inside its tomb. Climbing the hill, where the air is clear, the flowers bloom and spices permeate the air from the nearby small shops only to unveil the heaviness of a two thousand years' scent, inside the tomb. IG:@memory.of.scents

An interesting scent of place and time rather than absolute wearability, this is an olfactory tribute to the amazing terracotta necropolis of the first Chinese emperor. The perfume opens briefly with notes of peony, mandarin and pepper. The heart has notes of orris, sandalwood and clay. The perfume settles into a powdery base of synthetic musk, civet and vetiver. The unisex perfume has moderate sillage and good longevity, and stays fairly close to skin throughout its wear. Novel and well executed as an ambient scent but not particularly wearable for most people. Enjoy!