Marseille

Comme des Garcons Marseilles is like a creamy soap bar musk scented with the smell of hot iron-pressed clothes that were freshly laundered with powder detergent. I'm grateful I don't relate to some complaints. To me, there are no animalics, sharp neroli, scratchy unblended texture, overly powdery accord, or whatever else. Doesn't smell like public bathroom soap smell to me either. Just clean. The pressed texture reminds me of JHAG Not a Perfume Superdose, except that one is like hot-pressed paper to me. Think of plain paper freshly ran through a printer. I also more closely think of Mizensir Very Musc which smells like the steam while ironing clothes, except there is a slight animalic touch to me. I like that iron accord and think Marseilles will do great as my gym and generally clean scent. It performs moderately and lasts around 7 hours on my skin. Price is reasonable. The compared Jo Malone Musk Memento Cologne smells similar with its smell related to clean clothes too, but its texture is more like an aerosol-like musk. MM Replica Bubble bath which is shorter lasting and Kilian Musk Butterfly which lasts about the same are similar in its creamy soap bar texture but they lack the clothing and iron-pressed accords and goes in a more full-on bubble bath direction. Le Labo Lavande smells more similar than the other two people compared to Marseilles, as it has the laundry clean smell but it's brighter.

Marseille opens with a bright, clean neroli before transitioning into a pretty good evocation of Savon de Marseille. The soapiness of the scent is, of course, clean, but beyond that aspect, the overall impression created here is of very high quality ingredients blended well. Indeed, my overwhelming impression of the fragrance is simply an echo of the soapy cleanliness produced by a very high quality bar of bath soap. The fragrance is linear, surprisingly long lasting (definitely a consequence of the aromachemicals used in the composition) and as unisex as can be. Office safe for certain, but where this fragrance truly shines is in the moments after a shower. Applied after a shower, this fragrance takes the fresh from the shower feeling so many of us love and makes it into a multi-hour experience. I find that I quite enjoy wearing Marseille from time to time, particularly following a before-bed shower. The clean soapy scent creates a wonderful harmony with the smell of freshly laundered bed linen. I really enjoy using the fragrance in this manner. I think you might too. If you enjoy soapy smells, this fragrance is well worth a try.

Picture literal white fresh clean cotton laundry that is what this smells like. It's so satisfying and comforting. It makes me feel nostalgic for some reason. I'm so impressed, I never thought I could find a perfume that smells like this. It's currently out of stock in most places near me (and that's online only this is nowhere instore in my city which sucks). I don't know if this is something I would buy for myself I've just spent so much on blind buy perfumes and feel discouraged at the moment. If I were more financially comfortable and could house a fragrance collection I would definitely want this in mine. Edit: this is definitely something I'd buy for myself. I can't stop thinking about it and always go back to smell the sample that was only sprayed on a paper thingo and sent to me in an envelope very generously by some staff. It still smells strong and impressive. I just love it. For me it paints a picture of an old movie with a vintage filter and young children running about in fresh linens. Up close this is what the linens would smell like. In the best way possible.

Comme des Garcon Marseille (2021) - soap musk - As a collector, a soap accord is what I try to stay away from, as they can smell generic and like soap! But #quentinbisch created a fragrance that changed my mind and look at “clean” fragrances differently. Starts with a balanced yet fresh Neroli mixed with Salt water, and Orange blossom. As a backbone of the fragrance, he was able to make me smell & imagine the texture of bubbles (popping and foaming) - just by cleverly using a mixture of White musks and Cosmone. The latter is a Givaudan-developed substance that mimicked nitro-musks used in the earlier days of perfumery (now banned) that creates this rich and diffusive quality and heightens the floral-citrus top-notes. In the drydown, the musks sweeten creating an amber-like accord combined with woods. A refreshing delight to wear - with a crisp white shirt.

Since they are not listed above, these are the notes as seen on Comme des Garçons Parfum website: "Savon de Marseille Accord, Neroli Accord, Petalia (Floral, Rosy, Lychee), Oranger Crystals, Overdose of Ambrofix (Amber, Woody), Cosmone (Musk, Powdery)." Let it be known that soapy fragrances are really not my favourite. I first smelled this in a California shop on a very hot day. I was struck by its cheery, candied-orange opening. Like cracking open a can of fizzy orange San Pelligrino. Although we might gravitate to a more aquatic or watery citrus fragrance in the hot summer months, Marseille is a richer experience, a "clean" fragrance with a full-bodied sillage that cuts through the stagnant heat of summer. I think the use of cosmone and amberfix, rather than aldehydes, was a brilliant choice. I bought myself a bottle then and there. 10/10