Archangels

My experience with Archangels could not be more contradictory to my experience with Principalities. I originally blind-bought Principalities, and as a result, got the complimentary two samples that came with the order - which obviously included Archangels, and Guardian Angel. Based on description, Instagram reviews and descriptions, I assumed my preference would be Principalities first, then Guardian Angel, then Archangels. Then I tried them all. My actual preference was the complete inverse. Principalities is pepperjack cheese bottled (derogatory), while Archangels actually lives up to the verbose praise people gush online about it. The opening is a perfect recreation of church incense - and not just the incense itself, but the accompanying "church smell" of old wood, crisp vestments, old bible paper, and large volumes of still air captured in the towering ceilings of a historic cathedral. As it dries down, it evolves substantially into a completely different beast - there's an underlying synthetic pheromone-like note that reminds me of dried down Iso E Super, coupled with the dried remnants of lingering incense that's now portrayed as a more classy, refined spice. If the wet smell is pious, reverent, and meditative, the dry down is confident, soft-spoken and commanding. It's sexy and intense, but without raising its voice. I tried Archangels with low expectations, and found myself converted to a believer. I'll always try to have a bottle of this in my collection, so long as the releases keep up with demand.

There are two sides to Archangels that come together so harmoniously: the flowers and the "fire". The immediate smell will be the incense, CO2, myrrh and sometimes the pepper, that transport you straight into an Orthodox Monastery (intentionally specific, because it's not just any other "church" smell). The lily and the rose than embrace this fragrance to take it home. It's a transcendental experience, you close your eyes and you are at peace. As an unapologetically atheist I feel like this perfume is the closest I will ever be to God... P.S. some skin types (not mine, I smell like beautiful Orthodox Monastery) bring out the floral notes with much more intensity creating a very different experience than my own, yet I still quite enjoyed it as it still has that ethereal feel to it. I will have to spray this on more guinea pigs ... I mean friends XD

This perfume is like what I expected Passage D'Enfer to be in terms of lily and the floral note in general. Yes, I know Archangels is much more complex and fierce than Passage d'Enfer. Comparing these two side by side, the clear winner for me is Archangels - I do not get the hype around Passage d'Enfer, sorry:(

Archangels is my second favorite after Principalities. The creation is airy, bright and spicy. The star of the show is the incense. A cool incense that is perfectly balanced by green and floral undertones. Archangels is a journey into mystic realms. It's transportive, powerful and unforgettable.

the missing link in niche parfumery ... following the spiritual themes with authenticity ... big like !