Mage D'Orient

Bought this as a blind buy, and I'm quite happy with the result. I'm surprised to see this listed as an oriental woody fragrance, to me it's a straight up citrus. In fact, I think it's a dead ringer for Creed's Virgin Island Water at a much more affordable price point. The open is a kicker, a nice crisp lime citrus scent with a hint of sweetness (I'm guessing the vanilla and pineapple, and perhaps the litchi?) and coconut. The coconut maintains into the drydown, with the addition of a masculine floral (jasmine and geranium). This then settles into a floral and coconut scent, which smells divine. Unlike some other coconut-based fragrances, this doesn't smell like sunscreen. At the same time, I can imagine wearing this on the beach, while sipping on a pina colada (which I happen to hate, but that seems like the appropriate drink for this fragrance). Definitely perfect for the beach. Longevity is decent, I get around 5-6 hours with moderate sillage. I should mention that the reviews below mention a metal bottle. However, mine is glass with a metallic finish - it appears the packaging may have changed.

I searched for some frags with my fave notes; coconut, pineapple, jasmine and vanilla, and this was on the list. I bought it on a blind buy and When I received it the other day I was so excited to spray it on, wow am I pleased I got this. Pretty packaging, with a nice aluminium bottle. The frag starts off with citrus, the lime. It then smells sweet. I get the pineapple, and sweet fruits. It then goes floral, a masculine floral. Simply beautiful. After a few hours on my skin, it gives a beautiful and soft, florally vanilla, sweet coconut smell. I could not stop smelling my wrist. I seriously love this frag. It reminds me of a tropical garden. A great unisex smell. My friend, a fragrance fanatic, never heard of it, but he loved it too.

Comptoir Sud Pacifique MAGE D'ORIENT is listed at some sites as unisex, but to me it seems more masculine than feminine. The funny thing is, I cannot figure out exactly why! The composition is truly bizarre, combining woody oriental with gourmand and fresh aromatic notes. Sounds like a mess, I know, but it smells likable. I agree with a reviewer at a German site, that this composition has a chameleonic quality to it--and small wonder, given all of the many different notes! I cannot claim to be able to identify most of the notes, but I do perceive many qualities in waves: freshness, creaminess, woodiness, sweetness, herbality. I believe that there is also some sinus-clearing iso-E-super, aka "radiance" implicated. During some wears, I've found the coconut milk note to be more marked, but today, MAGE D'ORIENT is wearing more like a high-end (well-made) designer aromatic woody cologne. I do believe that this would be a great choice for a vacation: it's upbeat and fresh without smelling like soap or cleaners or shampoo. I dislike the aluminum bottles of this line, but they do clearly seem like a good idea for traveling, since the glass bottles may break.

There is something rather salty in Mage d'Orient. I have to assume it's the unlisted "algae" note. After that the strongest notes to my perception are tonka, lime and coconut. Mage d'Orient is simultaneously citrusy, creamy, woody and aromatic. Because of a number of typically masculine notes / note combinations (tonka+lavender, vetiver, geranium) it's easy to dismiss Mage d'Orient as just another male aquatic. A side by side comparison with a typical aquatic (in this case, FCUK Summer Him) largely puts this idea to rest. Perhaps it's the creamy coconut + white florals, but something sets this fragrance apart.

Smells like Azzaro Now for Men, plus coconut. Sweeter too, very clean and holiday feeling. Not the most original and distinctive fragrance, but pleasant to take with you if you go on vacation. The aluminium bottle is also a nice advantage for this purpose. Light and unbreakable. A solar summer fragrance.