Gris Charnel

I've heard many descriptions of this fragrance and I must say the one that describes Gris Charnel best is that it's a very "gloomy" scent. Reminds me of petrichor even though I don't think that's really the intent but I do enjoy this scent quite a lot in the sampling that I've been able to do with it. Scent: Nice, crisp and even a little fresh fig scent accompanied with just the slightest spiciness and MESMERISING black tea note. Very calming and beautiful scent profile that I prefer over the extrait as I've been considering between both but this just feels more versatile with the focus on that fig and black tea while the extrait, to me, focuses too much on the vanilla (as luxurious as it is) which strays a little too far from the EDP's profile. Performance: Decent performance on my skin and nothing too crazy. Doesn't last ridiculously long nor project like a beast but it gets the job done so nothing too much to write home about here. Versatility: Maybe this is a personal opinion but I believe that GC can be used for any season and any weather as it gives comfort even in heat or cold though it's absolutely perfect for the rainy day vibes. Perfectly unisex to me too as I can't really pinpoint which side it's leaning which is a good sign in most cases. Scent: 10/10 Performance: 7/10 Versatility: 9/10 Personal Score: 9.5/10 Girlfriend bought me a full bottle for Valentines and I am absolutely in love with this scent. Calmness in a bottle. Only real knock is that it’d be harder to wear during colder seasons but I’m reaching for this more and more as time goes on.

I find many BDK perfumes have a gorgeous sweet but smooth quality about them upon initial spray. This one is no different. After about 20 seconds, the iris comes through intensely. It reminds me of the original Dior Homme. As much as I love Iris as a note, I think it’s tricky to get just the right amount. It’s easy to have so much that it’s all you can think of. For me, Original Dior Homme is the only Iris-heavy fragrance I will allow in my collection. Too little Iris and it can get lost quite easily. But Gris Charnel actually manages to give iris a role but not make it the star player. After a few minutes Gris Charnel develops into what I can only describe as an immaculate barbershop scent which lasts until the end which is a very long time! I think that’s where the Sandalwood and Vetiver notes picked out by others here are doing the heavy lifting, but I must say I didn’t pick those notes out myself. I personally prefer fragrances where I find it difficult to pick out the notes as it normally means it’s been so expertly crafted that the fragrance becomes a complex final product that elevates beyond the sum of its notes. The fragrance leans metrosexual masculine which fits what I look for in a personal scent perfectly. This is a love for me. I’m also just testing out the Gris Charnel Extrait right now too which is also very pretty, but I think I prefer this one. You’ll see a review of the Extrait from me on that page shortly.

So I'm new to the world of niche fragrance. Spent the majority of my life with one trusty fragrance until this unexpected journey which has now tumbled into a fixation which I can only see snowballing into an obsession. All I can really say is holy, my olfactory system is having an absolute party with this fragrance. I read the reviews and some reviewers think this fragrance isn't special because it's basic or common and muhrfkrs I have never in my life smelt something so warm and complex and is it just me or is someone making tea in the other room and it's wafting over here? I would have fought myself to not follow someone wearing this perfume had I encountered it. I work in a high volume environment and I'm exposed/assaulted by cologne + perfume every day and I've never smelt it on anyone so slap my ass and call me basic, I love this. I'm not even sure if this would smell better on me or on my boyfriend but I'll buy a bottle so I can relive this moment. I also found this to lean masculine the first time I sprayed it. Now I'm picking up confident feminine boss bitch vibes. 20/10

This + Molecule 01 is absolutely incredible. A woman followed me around a store for about 15 minutes and approached me as I was leaving just to ask what I was wearing. Just this week have been complimented twice in the elevator and once in a cab. No other perfume has ever had this kind of effect of my skin. I found the combination by pure accident as I happen to be on of those people that can't smell Molecule 01. To me it just smells like alcohol and I only tried to spray it on top of Gris to see if it makes it last any longer and it normally only lasted 2-3 hours for me. By applying a spray of M01 on top of the Gris Charnel it definitely made the projection a little stronger, but that's not all. Every once in a while, maybe once an hour, for the next 8-12 hours I would get a single inhale out of nowhere and it was absolutely magical. I don't know how to describe it. It was definitely Gris Charnel, but elevated somehow. I can understand why someone would follow that scent in a store, it was addicting.

I now own a bottle of this, and I don't regret it. I agree with @Ryuseu's description below. This perfume is gloomy, cold and grey, yes, both literally and characteristically. When I'd tested it multiple times before purchase, it felt stronger. Maceration might play a role here. I have been using it for a couple of weeks, and it's softer and sits closer to the skin than I remember. But not something I complain about, as the creation is flawless and so charismatic. The leathery touch of vetiver...Perfection. I'd described this perfume earlier as "corporate goth", and I'll second it. Paired with a simple yet elegant full-black look with a masculine touch. Silver jewellery, definitely. This scent profile is new to me; I don't have anything similar in my collection. I think I'm starting to become very fond of fig and cardamom. And honestly, I dream of a Gris Charnel version with some ylang in it. But hey, some dreams are odd and wild.