Kus Kus

I blind bought Kus Kus and just received it today. I have been on a powdery scent kick for a while now just craving powder, powder and musk. Anyway, I am really glad I bought this. Kus Kus smells like a more wearable version of L'Heure Bleu by Guerlain. I smell heliotrope, violet mingling w/ star anise, and cloves. I'm getting a lot of carnation and ylang as well. Hints of vanilla, rose as well. Very pretty, delicate powder and light spice fragrance that can be worn year-round. This is the kind of dry powder fragrance that keeps you feeling cool in high heat but still works in the dead cold of winter. Kus Kus leans feminine, but I think a man can pull this off. I like powdery fragrances on men if they have spices. If you found L'Heure Bleu much too much like I did but want something along the same lines give Kus Kus a try. I think it hits the right sweet spot of being nostalgically old fashioned while remaining very wearable for today. Edit: Wearing this again and I forgot to mention this has a lot of mimosa as well. Kus Kus is very powdery, but it is a warm powder, soft spicy vanillic floral powder. Not a cold powder like Teint de Neige or White Diamonds. Those are cold, winter snow powders. Kus Kus is warmer than Guerlain LB and happier. LB while a brilliant perfume is too much for me, there is something about it that makes me very sad. Teint de Neige and WD make me feel dynamic like an Ice Queen. Kus Kus is more of a comfort type of powder along the same type of vibe as Violet Ida by Miller Harris (not a dupe I'm describing a vibe) There is almost a gourmand aspect to Kus Kus, like bananas foster turned to perfume. I just love this. It is comfort food for the nose!

I’m in the beginning stages of exploring French Bourbon scents. Kus Kus and Cameo Noir (the word “noir” is a magnet for me) are my first purchases (travel size rollerball). Kus Kus is very unusual. I get the passing resemblance to L’Heure Bleue, but it is thin. Still, that’s not a fault in Kus Kus, which is different and very nice in itself. VERY sweet, very powdery, both of which I love. 5-6 hours and it’s completely gone, but truthfully I don’t know if I would want it to be around much longer than that. There’s an underlying banana pudding note - weird, I know - that is creamy and overripe and stays to the end. I think this would be a good layering scent, but it really is very nice on its own. Better than I’m making it sound - I kept enjoying it on my wrist throughout. I am experimenting with heavier application and will update if anything significant comes of it. For the price, the exceptional service and lightning speed delivery, you can’t lose if you like this type of scent. Update: I put this away and let it sit in my closet a few months. Came back to it and I am really enjoying it now. It’s beautiful and different. I love that the drydown is not vanilla - the spice blend carries through to the end - and it’s sweet in such a good way! The longevity is amazing - applied it last night for bed, it lasted all day today, and when I showered tonight, steamy clouds of it filled the air. Most impressive - a new love.

I got a small rollerball of this scent from a fellow fragrantian, and I have to admit - I love it. It's got animalic notes that sing on my skin. And, while it is a powdery scent, the subtle spice takes this from a simple, sweet powder that reads as innocent to a much more complex, lascivious wink of a scent that is present but more of an enigma. It does make one think of sexy underthings and satiny boudoirs - it's coquettish and flirtatious.

I really loved Kus Kus when I lived in California. It was one of my favorite scents. However I found it stuffy and kind of sweet and sickening during the cold weather here in New England. It was late spring last year when I re-purchased both the eau de toilette and perfume, and I enjoyed it then. I really hope that I will love it again as we are moving into warmer weather this summer. Definitely a learning experience for me.

Powder bomb without being flat or suffocating! I get a kaleidoscope of powdery florals here — iris, violet, ylang ylang (in full “banana custard” drag, as other reviewers have noted) and even a slightly fruity jasmine. The florals sit like jewels on a velvet pillow of musk and spices. Just lovely! Classically feminine but could certainly be pulled off by men. Perfect for bedtime.