Ruby – Eau de Parfum

When Ruby appeared on the market a couple years ago, I quickly procured a sample of the pure essence oil. I'm not a huge fan of gourmands, but I am a fan of Bruno Acampora. Intrigued by what the house would do with a gourmand, I took the plunge. And color me very impressed. I've not tried too many chocolate fragrances, but this is by far the best, most realistic one my nose has encountered. This never veers into "Tootsie Roll" territory as others in the genre can. Sweet, yes, but rich and dark, much more adult than juvenile. I do get a bit of fruit, maybe a little rose if I really hunt for it, but any additional notes are buried beneath decadence and musk. Ruby doesn't have a "polish" to it either. Rather, it's a little earthy and dirty (as in dirt, not sweat), plush but more dusty than creamy. Really, quite gorgeous. After only a few wears of the oil sample, I splurged on a small vial of the pure essence. And can we talk about Acampora's pure essences, too? They are not kidding around. The amount of scent packed into a single drop must be equivalent to whole bottles from other brands. I apply just the tiniest swipe to a wrist, dab both wrists together, then lightly run them along my neck. With only that minimal application, I'm surrounded by Ruby for more than 24 hours. That vial I purchased a couple years ago? I only just opened it yesterday, because that's when my 0.3 mL sample was drained! (To be fair, I don't wear Ruby all that often, but the sample got more than a dozen wearings, probably closer to twice that.) Bruno Acampora doesn't come cheap, but the bang-to-buck ratio is high. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that Ruby makes me feel like King Midas with a chocolate touch. It seems to suffuse everything in my orbit with a milky luxuriance. Typing on my computer? BAM! It's now cocoa. Driving? BAM! The steering wheel becomes a solid, calorie-laden dessert. Loving on my pets? BAM! Edible chocolate threads replace their fur; ganache now pulses through their veins. So, yeah. Ruby is magical. Highly recommended.

Oooo! I had a feeling I would like this. Imagine a bittersweet dark chocoloate truffle, filled with cranberries, sour cherries, a little liqueur, and a heap of Bruno Acampora's original musc. I want to say "it's not gourmand," but it certainly is. 😝 But it is different from your average, everyday vanilla-baked good-smell-like-a-snack Hostess cupcake Zara spray. This is for adults only. There are some bright florals here (jasmine, rose) as well as some earthy notes (perhaps vetiver and iris) that give me an impression of potters clay. Projection is powerful!

I got the 30ml extrait, complete blind buy. I like it. After the dry down I kept sniffing myself and trying to think of what it smells like as it was very reminiscent of a smell I knew but just couldn’t remember. Then it sprung into my mind... Palmers Cocoa Butter. I suspect that is the cocoa of course — this is not a bad thing either btw, the smell is pleasant. The opening is cocoa, berries and I get pink pepper too — I wish the berries you get in the opening would hang around a little longer as the sweetness it adds to that dust-like cocoa smell is quite delightful. Ruby’s longevity even for the extrait is pretty spectacular. I’m talking 18 hours strong on skin type of spectacular (with just one tiny tiny spray). Don’t really get much projection or sillage with this (though I’ve only ever sprayed a teensy bit at a time), but probably the some of the best longevity I’ve seen. I imagine the essence oil would be next level. I probably won’t buy this again, but I will enjoy it while I have it.

This is fun, it’s really, really fun 🤩 Other reviews before this one describe perfectly what this fragrance is about, but they have yet to mention the sense of party atmosphere that Ruby can generate. The overdose of sweet chocolate in the opening seems never-ending, but it accompanies you from your place to the venue where the party is held. Once there, you can easily dance or drink wrapped in a whirlwind of berries and roses, oddly enough, not sweet at all, but tart yet captivating. It’s absolutely not an everyday scent, and it’s not for those who don’t want to grab attention: it’s playful, so considering its high price, it’s something to buy only if your mindset contemplates the possibility of wearing it just a few times during the year.

Photorealistic rich dark bittersweet chocolate - a prick of tart sourness that tingles a little. Very linear. I went on a chocolate perfume smelling spree a few years ago, and the rich realness of this has just taken the crown of authenticity.