Relativamente Rosso

We sit facing each other as a wild fire burns between us, the smoke tracing our dreams in greys across the dazzlingly painted sky. Our brilliant tales consuming more oxygen than may be present in the atmosphere - tales of daring and romance, of flight and fancy, of the endless possibilities this life could hold. Our rosy cheeks streaked in the ash of the furiously crackling fire - sweet smiles are shared as we wipe away the ashes of times long since passed. We have always been wild at heart...we had just forgotten it somewhere along the way. We shared our glorious tales for many hours before surrendering to the night - the sweetest dreams were beckoning. My dreams transport me to an immense lake lapping it's freezing waters onto the shore where I bathe in the warmth of a crimson sun. The toasted beauty of immortelle is carried on a cool wind as the wood from the sandalwood surrounding the lake lends it's boozy scent to the crisp air. The sun brings the world to life with its rich, caramel and amber waves coating all it touches in a chocolate and velvet. You are lost in its luxurious waves of sensual delights. The first light of dawn wakes you as does the crackling of fire warming a hearty breakfast. A new adventure awaits, but for now you sit, somewhere between wake and dream, and earnestly ask your companion, "what did you dream of?" Day 76 - Of grandeur Listening to: Blackbird - Brand New Start Notes: I am beginning to think Bois 1920's Art Collection was made just for me. This is the second I purchased in the series (out of 5 and one is basically unavailable to me) and I am floored by the beauty it contains. This and Dolce di Giorno are 'eyes rolling into the back of your head' delicious...I don't know how they do it, but these are exquisitely sensual experiences in a bottle! Relativamente open with a deeply moving and surrealistic campfire/smoke note - I don't know how it's even possible to make a campfire sexy, but they did it! The campfire note (likely achieved with a modified olibanum accord) definitely contains a wild rose clashing against an ashy saccharine note - this actually lasts around an hour or two on my skin. The campfire slowly dies out and allows the rich and syrupy scent of immortelle combine with a creamy sandalwood and a chocolate or orris, amber, and musk. This phase lasts for five or six hours before a slight transition to a slightly drier and quieter patchouli and oak mixed with the velvety orris and vanilla...simply to die for! This, much like Dolce di Giorno, would be magic on a woman's skin! I don't know why there aren't more people wearing these fumes! If you'd like a 10 hour break from the monotony of life, pick up this magic potion and ride it out!

Relativamente Rosso feels to my nose like marron glacé gilded with rose damascones. "What, pray tell, are damascones?" you might ask. Damascones belong to a family of chemical compounds known as rose ketones, which also include damascenones and ionones. There is alpha, beta, and delta. I am not going to pretend to know exactly which, if any, are actually here, but I have a hunch. Damascones are known for being quite potent and vibrant, a glistening treble of wine, mids that are tobacco-like, with tints of apple, plum, blackcurrant, and shades of woods. Here, they are that delectable high frequency that give the illusion of a deep rose, where it may or may not even be truly present (but who knows, there may be a bit of rose absolute here, too). With that detail aside, what moors this is a lightly sugared immortelle, buttery, warm, and enveloping, a swirl and a swoop, an incense ambience in its heart, fueled by the oil of an ambergris accord (I opt not to deconstruct it). Its also worth noting that I detect something that reminds me of davana oil (a favorite material!), cognac-boozy and intoxicating. There was one point in the development that reminded me of the aroma of a glass of Sazerac. A parenthetical note: Japan's "Ghosts" just started playing as I write this, and it just seemed like a perfect accompaniment. This feels so layered, with no friction, nothing that "ouches" the nose (what a relief after some of the stonkers I've subjected myself to). The base is a sweetly incensed woods, still expressive hours in, haunting and somewhat moody. This is one I put in the "dazzler" category.

Pure sexuality in a bottle. Purchased a sample last month while searching for more floral fragrances as I tend to heavily lean towards vanilla based gourmands and wanted to expand my collection . I already had a sample of Bois 1920 Durrocafe and immediately fell in love so I had high expectations of this line from the start and I was very much not disappointed. As described, the scent is mostly rose and incense but it balances perfectly with the notes of sugar and vanilla, making a mysterious and sexy fragrances for date nights. Despite the patchouli notes which I generally have a disdain for, it is not “grandmas bathroom” smelling in the slightest. It’s nice, not too heavy, not too airy, and the scent lasts a while (about 8 hours from personal experience).This scent is definitely not for everyday unless you’re bold. As a heavy gourmand lover this is probably one of the only floral leaning fragrances I will ever wear. There’s a kind of evilness to it though. This is something a 20 something siouxie and the banshees fangirl would wear. Or an evil sorcerer, it’s super gothic in my opinion. Might be a turn off for some. On the negative side, while I do absolutely love this fragrance it smells like chicken soup sometimes! I have no clue as to why! I go take a sniff and it smells like straight maruchan creamy chicken. I do not make any of these soups nor do I even have them in my house so it’s not just something im picking up in the background. Super weird, but I love this fragrance and will stick by it. Goths rule the world!

Amazing unisex, sweet, woody incense perfume, very loud and expressive, and one of the most long lasting perfumes I have ever tried. The composition opens with a sweet rose note. However, Relativemente Rosso is everything but a rose perfume. The floweriness fades away very quickly and gives way to the smoke and the woodiness, which represent the character of this perfume. It's also a bit powdery due to immortelle, I suppose. The sandalwood also has a powdery touch. I'm no expert in raw materials, but here the sandalwood note smells very real and authentic, like in the older version of Samsara, opposed to the papery feel of the synthetic sandal. The base is still woody, with prominent ambergris and its savory saltiness, which combines lovely with the olibanum (which is still there) and the woods. I don't get any patchouli, but do feel vetiver, which makes the drydown a bit closer to the traditionally masculine feel. RR lasts, and lasts, and lasts... I don't know how long. Too long! I wonder who will ever need such a big bottle of it. I wish there were smaller (and cheaper!) bottles. Amazing stuff, highly recommended to those who appreciate sandalwood and incense perfumes and aren't afraid of sweetness (which is not overbearing here at all, and there is no separate vanilla note, just a drop of sweetness in the sea of woods and smoke).

Slightly spicy opening with herbs and rose. The rose is present, but it’s in the background and acts as a spice, not as a main character. Something in the opening reminds me of licorice. For a few minutes it smells like cough syrup (specifically a fermented dandelion root extract one), but the herbal licorice note fades quickly, and I’m left with beautiful, powdery, ambery and sweet rose incense. One if the best rose fragrance I’ve ever smelled, only outrun by Smyrna. The drydown is to die for. The rose blends with amber and sugar, creating a pleasant and unique warm and sweet fragrance. It’s so smooth, not sharp or screechy. It’s neither a bulgarian rose water scent nor a turkish delight, so if that’s the type of rose fragrance you’re looking for, this will not be it. But if you like powdery, incensy, herbal vanilla fragrances like Cuir Beluga or Cafe Chantant, and you’re looking for that type of scent with rose in it - definitely try out Relativamente Rosso! I consider Relativamente Rosso truly unisex, could see it working for a woman just aswell as a man, who likes sweet, warm, ambery incense fragrances.