Principalities

It's very hard to describe Principalities... I would go with elemental. It feels like a masterpiece, and everlasting, ever evolving perfume that takes you on a journey. I simply could not get enough of it. My experience with it was as follows: Initially, it was very ozonic, very fresh and reminded me of the smell of mist. Then, it went into ambers, embers, smoke, spicy, and this very interesting sweet note, as if I was at a camp fire making creme-brulee and marshmallows on the fire. Later, it became metallic with mineral notes, maybe a bit of ash. Then I went to bed And woke up with a fresh, earthy perfumed. and I said ... What is this black magic? I think this perfume to be so complex and evolving that it's highly likely that my review will have nothing in common with your experience, but I do hope it is as amazing as mine! Given the elemental nature of this perfume, I feel like it could work in any season, in any occasion, any time of day or night. It tells a story and while wearing it I received quite a lot of compliments. Furthermore, the evolutions it has (almost remiscent of fine, aged wine) gives the impression to people that you change your perfume and it is soooo much fun to see their reaction when you tell them, it's exactly the same thing you were wearing in the morning

Of the three creations, Principalities stands out in terms of uniqueness, composition and performance. It is unlike anything I've ever smelled before and cannot be associated with anything on this Earth. Principalities is out of this world. It is metallic, hot and lethal. Dangerous. But the kind of danger that draws you in. You can't take your mind off. Intriguing. Obsessive. The quality of the perfume is undeniable and the performance is extraordinary. 12 h+ and if you've dropped a few sprays on your clothes your entire wardrobe will be enveloped in mystical power and heavenly beauty. In an industry suffocated by TikTok trends, influencers, reviewers and launches designed solely to drive profitability, Principalities is everything niche perfumery should be. Artistic. Unconventional. Unique.

This smells like a spicy astro-cookie. Looking at the notes, I expected this to be more cold, metallic, ominous, spacey, alien, but to me, this metallic-dusty-gunpowder combined with the chili pepper and this almondy-gourmand type of accord gives me a rather warm-inviting smell. It is hard to describe it as anything really, 3 very opposite scent profiles that mix together to create this beautifully blended "Alien Gourmand." Spicy, metallic, sweet. It is definitely something new, unseen before in the world of perfumery and scent-wise in general; it isn't a fragrance, it is an aura that surrounds you—a beautiful art piece.

I really really like this. This smells like a slightly green, spicy metallic cookie and it truly is such a unique cool fragrance. This to me is really not linear and has quite a harsh opening but very quickly morphs into this beautiful unique complex fragrance. i sent a message to caeleste at the very end of feb asking when a potential restock might happen, i was told early april and it is now the 28th of april and no sign of a restock :( not complaining good things take time but damn i cant wait

@VanirCO This pepper-jack cheese scent you speak of just won an Art and Olfaction award. Once I see how many you’ve won, I’ll be inclined to take your review a bit more seriously. It’s one thing to not understand the hype while keeping in mind that scent is subjective, but it’s out of line to insult others for enjoying something so much just because your opinion is negative.

Deeply beautiful & complex mineralic scent that's very difficult to understand. Mineral, metallic, spicy, dusty, floral, gourmand..? It's like something both alien & familiar. I agree with other reviewers that this scent mentally registers more like an "aura" than a perfume. It's a comforting, indescribable scent that follows it's wearer through the day

Metallic sharpness with a profound warmth. A crisp smokiness that intertwines with its deeply resinous undertones, primordial & elemental. Enchanting aspects of petrichor; a hot & humid evening in an ancient forest. A warm mist hanging delicately in the air. Simultaneously intimate & expansive. Tremendously ethereal & utterly unique.

I keep reading all sorts of reviews and comparisons on this one. This does not smell like Ganymede or incense centric fragrances. This is exactly how it smells: a rose stem with thorns cut in half. The rose stem dominates, it can also be compared to rose sap or ivy. Not one that will blow away anyone, sits close to the skin

chili pepper chili pepper is the dominant note very hot spicy and harsh ash with pepper but still very nice scent... Do not get scared by the notes it's not that challenging however it requires a special taste. Absolutely Unique extremely powerful projection and scent trail that is very sexy in the cold open air

Imagine you pass away on a rainbow, beautiful sunny and happy day, you enter the gates of heaven, this is what it smells like, it smells like The Heaven, so futuristic yet so modern, so complex yet so perfectly blended it makes me think about the world. masterpiece

My first review here. Just wanted to say this smells almost exactly like a freshly opened Yu-Gi-Oh booster pack and I absolutely love it.

Cæleste is a fairly new Romanian niche fragrance house which at the time of this writing consists of three fragrances - Guardian Angel, Archangels, and Principalities. Noticed something? All three fragrances are named after one category in the traditional hierarchy of angels in Christian theology. Principalities, Archangels, and Angels sit in the lowest sphere of the nine choirs or orders from the angelic hierarchy. Angels or "Guardian Angels" are usually assigned to individuals for protection and guidance, while Archangels are higher-ranking messengers with major missions. But Principalities are traditionally seen as angels who oversee nations, peoples, and institutions. Sort of celestial regional administration. How does this relate to the scent itself? Well, it's certainly the inspiration behind it, but I'm not here to dissect the house's ideology and history, am I? The notes are categorized as it follows: WIND: Hyssop, Black Tea, Rose Thorn, Violet, Ylang-Ylang WATER: Mineral Notes, Petrichor EARTH: Oud Assafi, Dry Leaves, Galbanum, Ginseng Root, Leather, Immortelle FIRE: Ash, Elemi Resin, Chili Pepper Seeds, Saffron ÆTHER: Star Dust, Cosmos Flower, Gunpowder, Burnt Almond Cookie, Incense, Hot Metal, Sandalwood Jeez, feels like I'm invoking every bender from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Regardless, you can tell that there's plenty going on here, and while the usual marketing nonsense note like "Star Dust" is present, I have to say that as a whole, Principalities is quite a unique fragrance, having smelt nothing quite like it so far. That doesn't immediately elevate it towards "Heaven-grade perfumery" status. It's just a more distinct blend, with chemistry still at the core. The first thing that strikes is not an angelical choir descending from the heavens - it's an almond cookie. Quite a delicious-smelling almond cookie, blending warm, sweet, toasted nuts, and even marzipan-like accords. All of this happens while metallic and smoky/ashy qualities slowly wrap this cookie, yet the metallic touch never turns sharp or synthetic, which could be due to it being balanced by mineral notes which mostly reminds of wet pavement (petrichor has a say in this too), with some... salt scattered on top? Regardless, throughout most of the wearing, there's a constant greenness that hides beneath, mostly consisting of herbaceous, gently bitter galbanum, and rooty nuances, as well as gentle black tea touches keeping things warm and somewhat cozy. These pair well with the earthy facets that try to appear cold and damp, yet they get pushed towards warm and dry due to the rest of the composition. However, one of the most unique and important features of Principalities is the surprisingly realistic addition of the scent of chili pepper. That specific vegetal spiciness follows you throughout the whole experience. I'll admit I'm not very fond of it given it's also bell pepper adjacent, but it definitely adds lift. I manage to pick up some immortelle too with more hay-ish attributes, while in terms of leather/saffron, I get more of the latter, but little to no actual leather. Same for the oud. Principalities did not push the limits when it came to performance. On my skin, longevity was pretty good, reaching about 9-10 hours. Projection was notably softer, but neither inconspicuous one hour in. It held moderate pushing power through the first two hours, with decent sillage, after which it would aim towards skin scent status, reaching it around the 4th-5th hour mark. A scent marketed as "ethereal" would imply limited versatility, reserved only for once-in-a-lifetime occasions like The Rapture. But it's actually much more wearable than it may initially strike as. It's no everyday casual pick, nor for clubbing in areas heavily polluted with JPG and YSL. It's definitely a more special situation scent, but not taken to the extremes. It's perfectly suitable all year-round too, and it's completely unisex too. And once you see the price tag of €215 for 30ml, you'll more than certainly use it with moderation. It's overall a pretty unique scent, and probably one of the better works of Toskovat' (the perfumer). It took me a good while to decide whether I like it or not, and I ended up respecting it more for what it is rather than worshipping it. It's worth trying if you get the chance, unlike Archangels and Guardian Angel which albeit qualitative, did nothing particularly special or as stand-out as Principalities. It's not "out of this world" good or unique; it's just good, more daring chemistry. Presentation: 9/10 Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 8/10 Projection: 5.5/10 Versatility: 8/10 Value for Money: 3/10 Overall: 6.9/10

The scent is a mixture of flower stem and dry ginseng, and ginseng is a heavy note that is being underestimated here. The bitterness from flower stem is meant to be fresh and light, but the ginseng has a sedimental effect that fills your nasal and prolongs the scent prescence. Overall, it smells closest to a Chinese dry herb shop, and the smell lasts ~4 hours on skin.

Another Toskovat creation I was thrilled to try and even blind-bought a bottle of, based on the description, and countless social media fragrance influencers / reviewers who sing its praises. And, like some other Toskovat creations I've tried, it misses the mark. At 30ml and €255, it just isn't worth the price. To clarify, I'm not a David/Toskovat hater - Age of Innocence and Ichigo Ichie are masterpieces, with the latter being one of the most brilliant achievements of perfumery I've ever come across, and is easily his most underrated creation. However, there's a number of fragrances in the lineup people gush about, that are simply boring, underwhelming, massively overstated in their marketing material, and unexciting (ie. Inexcusable Evil, Desert Sermons). I'm a big fan of niche/avant garde notes, and actively seek out fragrances that portray things like minerals, metals, gunpowder, dust, petrichor, ash, etc. Thus, this seemed like the perfect fragrance for me! However, even after dry-down, those notes simply never appear here. This fragrance smells like a damn near perfect replica of pepperjack cheese. The chili note is there, that's abundantly clear, and it's supported by this funky gourmand cheese-like backdrop. It's slightly lactonic, overly sharp and green from the chili, and just simply off-putting. None of the other laundry list of notes ever present themselves in this fragrance - it's chili peppers and cheese, nothing more. This is what drives my negativity around this fragrance: the inaccuracy of the notes described. Perhaps you like lactic chilis - in which case, by all means. However, I'd place those notes first and foremost in the marketing materials, as opposed to mineral/metallic/gunpowder/ash/petrichor. If you want mineral, just go with Ganymede. If you want Gunpowder, go for 1805 Tonnerre. If you want metal, go with Molotov Cocktail. If you want petrichor, go with Tears on Asphalt, Fathom V, Resonant, or Steamed Rainbows. If you want incense, go with Archangles (which, in my opinion, is far and away the best fragrance from the Caeleste releases, and easily qualifies as a masterpiece in fragrance - I wish I had blind bought that, and more reviewers had been forthcoming about what this fragrance really smells like, instead of parroting what they were told it smells like online and in the marketing materials). I had hoped for so, so much more from this fragrance, and was bitterly let down. I'll be looking to sell the bottle at the first opportunity, unfortunately. Edit to address the responses above: This fragrance won the A&O award for "newcomer" - firstly, an award pool determined by paying a fee, and secondly, a discretionary award given only to perfume houses released within 2024. To me, this feels like smurfing the category, as Caeleste's perfumers are seasoned industry noses, coupled with a slight 'pay-to-win' element. Also, if scent is subjective, why would any award matter? Shouldn't those awards be as meaningless as a Fragrantica reviewer if the playing field is leveled to the point where everyone's taste is subjective? Lastly, this is the internet - I can say I dislike something and call others (primarily the ones being sent a steady stream of free bottles, often the loudest ones freely promoting these releases, claiming to be non-biased yet receiving thousands of dollars' worth of bottles and getting their own personal brands promoted by the share-for-share social media business relationship) silly both for liking it, and their verbose, undoubtedly heavy-handed yet misplaced praises, and I won't be the slightest step "out of line". Just as you are free to disagree with me and sing this fragrance's praises yourself, and question my "authority" (of which I never claimed to have) due to lacking Art & Olfaction awards. I don't "not understand the hype", my entire review hinges on the idea that the hype is misplaced, and misrepresented. That's not "this is great but I just don't get it", it's "I don't think this is great, despite getting it." You may think I'm wrong, and you're entitled to do so, but I'm posting my review, my opinion, in the way I feel is most accurately articulated based on my own knowledge - which you and others are free to question, ignore, or wholly disregard. However if my review prevents someone from spending $300 on a blind-buy based on the listed notes (that I believe to be somewhat inaccurate if that's what you're looking for) and being disappointed, I think this will provide some value to someone out there. Clearly, it's not you, and it's not *for* you if you're one of the people who DO enjoy this. My ranting shouldn't detract from your enjoyment, no matter how hyperbolic I decide to be in deriding this perfume. Up until my review, I hadn't heard or seen a single reviewer even allude to how this fragrance could be polarizing in a negative way, or that perhaps some of the most strongly stated notes aren't present to nearly as significant a degree as might be present in other alternatives (for half the price, and twice the volume). I think given how many months it takes to wait for a release, and the price point for both samples and bottles, it's important that unbiased reviews (unlike the endless stream of free bottles fragrance reviewers get) that perhaps touch on dislikes as thoroughly as people discuss their "likes".

The first 10 minutes open with a straight-out-of-the-oven cookie accord, with a twist that makes it quite interesting. After that, it turns into a less sharp, more toned-down version of Dark by Neandertal. In the drydown, they become completely identical to my nose. Very disappointed overall — the hype and marketing around this fragrance are huge, but in the end, you’re left with something that feels far from new.

After reading so much about these three, I bought Caeleste's 'Third Order' set of 3 x 5ml to try them. Disappointingly, none of the three are for me, but I've sold them on to another Fragrantican, and am hoping they'll find them a better match.

I truly appreciate the artistic expression and craftsmanship behind this fragrance, though I’m still unsure how to fully feel about it. It’s as if the sky suddenly split open, unleashing a lightning storm over a rugged mineral quarry, with the scent of damp earth and nearby woods rising in the aftermath. Bold, mineral-rich, and undeniably compelling, this fragrance seduces with its intensity and unpredictability. It evolves constantly, unfolding a story of its own—mysterious, untamed, and full of unexpected turns. If you're open to the journey, it will take you places you never imagined. The chili and ginseng bring a sharp, invigorating heat that balances the dusty, powdery facets beautifully. As it dries down, gentle tea notes emerge, soft and serene, adding an elegant contrast to the earlier storm. Overall, it's a captivating creation worth exploring. I highly recommend sampling it first—this is a scent that demands your full attention and may just change the way you think about fragrance.

Not sure how to feel about this one as it's very, very weird smelling - it reminds me of a hot concrete concrete road that's been heating up in the summer time it's very, very hot and leathery smelling concrete, sort of smelling like the inside of a warmed vehicle car, like warm leather but you also have some greenness and weird stuff happening like you have some vegetables that are pretty green and you smash them on top of the road and also burn them (that sort of thing) so you're getting burnt and warm vegetables on top of a hot concrete road.

💫Cosmos 💫 Principalities smells like someone tried to trap an element in the vacuum of space. The first contact is an explosion – chili, saffron, ash. Sharp, predatory, like a tongue of fire behind the glass of a helmet. Then everything smooths out – a mineral note cools, a bitter tea essence appears, and the dust of an unknown planet lingers. It’s an unconventional scent. It holds the coldness of metal, the dryness of galactic dust, and a lot, really a lot, of chili – lingering in the air like a fiery trail after landing. @the.scent.files

Opens with a millisecond of a curry smell, gives way to a metallic opening reminiscent of Gannymede. Then smells like the leaves and stems that you cut off a flower bouquet before you put it them in a vase. Vegetal aspect envelops and (mostly) mutes the church-like incense quality. Blended well. Stays very close to the skin but you can still smell it 6 hours later.