Soul

Great fragrance. Although technically unisex, it works very well for me as a man. I've noticed this scent smells quite different on my girlfriend's skin than it does on mine. It smells softer, less woody and more feminine on her. Apparently that's due to the differences in male vs female skin chemistries. Which is good news if you like unisex scents but don't necessarily want to smell like the opposite sex. Smooth, warm, inviting scent. It is an Eau de Parfum with very good sillage, projection and longevity. A small amount goes a long way, which makes this very economical, despite its niche pricing (which is still moderate for a niche fragrance). As a YSL M7 Oud Absolu owner, I'm not really getting the M7 Oud Absolu vibe with this fragrance. Which is fine by me. Both scents are great, but I love this one and am glad it's different to M7 OA. As an Interlude Man owner and appreciator, I'm also not getting the Interlude vibe either. Interlude is like getting smacked in the face with a baseball bat made of frankincense, while this fragrance is like getting kissed by a woman with soft full lips and long dark eyelashes. Interlude is stridently authoritative while Soul is smoothly sensual. Soul is also wearable in a wider range of situations than Interlude. The dry down is definitely better than the start. It takes about 30 minutes or more for the full complexity of this scent to reveal itself, so you need to be patient. But your patience will be richly rewarded. And after a longer period of time, say four or five hours or more, the scent will become even softer and smoother - more like Grand Soir by MFK. I agree with other reviewers who are shocked that this fragrance doesn't get more attention, because it certainly deserves more. I also agree with another reviewer who mentioned MFK Grand Soir. I like both fragrances and can smell their similarities, but they are different enough to appreciate in different ways. Highly recommended.

Costume National Soul Soulful. In the most exciting way possible. A person who wears this unisex beauty is perhaps the one who would take unraveling step by step. A glance into his or her humour will take you a step closer to a peak at their soul maybe? A shared smile together evokes a reciprocity coupled with honest apprehension. Charming nonetheless. Playful nonetheless. Measured? Yes. But boring in no way shape or form given that you remain at the same wavelength. The biggest compliment I can give Soul is that it wears like a Frederic Malle fragrance. It absolutely smashes it from the get go. All of you might have had the experience where from the very first spray you realise this is going to be amazing. Well this is that. And it's no surprise to be fair. The guy who did this does fragrances from FM as well. And as long as I've heard and seen (with Cyber Garden and I) Costume National don't hold back either with creativity or with the names that crate their fragrances with Antoine Lee and Julien Rasquinet creating the one's mentioned respectively. That aside this is a complete scent. Not many hit the olfactory bulb in such a rounded fashion as this one does. You're greeted with Oud,with Vanilla and just when it hits the oriental territory you've exciting nuances like Cardamom and Pink Pepper. Never very dull or muffy because Ambergris is always there giving this composition a beautiful breathability about it. Finally,the transition between the notes is delightfully mysterious. It changes and chops every now and then. Never stable. Never boring. It's a Kendrick Lamar verse when Kendrick was at his prime. Full of vibrancy, nostalgia, colours and charm. Costume National Soul,Mi Amor ♥️

Yet again, Costume National has bewildered and bedazzled me in one fell swoop. I'm a huge fan of 21, another of their fragrances that doesn't seem like it should quite make sense in theory, yet is absolutely captivating on skin. Soul has a very similar effect. For a long time time, I didn't seek it out, both because I had trouble finding a sample, and because I half-expected it to be just another boring synthetic amber. Once I was able to try it, though, I knew that it was anything but! Fischer84 below outlines the bizarrerie of Soul very well. The ambergris at its heart—which is incredibly bracing and salty—seems like it shouldn't work well with the equally realistic oud, which brings a dark, resinous, almost smoky quality. The two actually play together quite well, as the oud grounds the ambergris and prevents it from becoming too marine, while the ambergris's headiness elevates the heaviness of the oud. The cardamom, pepper, and bergamot create a sparkling spiciness, and the patchouli and vanilla round it out with some leafiness and smooth, sweet warmth, respectively. Later, the ambergris clings on, its salty edge softened a bit, and the oud is tempered more by the sweet vanilla. The blend and progression are superb. Taken together, this makes for an extremely refined, sultry, and unique fragrance. It's become one of those I wear in situations that call for both tranquility and confidence, along with Chanel No. 19, L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme, and Boudicca Wode, not because they smell at all alike (they don't), but because there is something strong and natural buzzing below their calm, refined surface. I feel that it infuses and fortifies me every time I smell it on myself.

M7 is the oud prototype for so many western perfumers and houses. Don't get me wrong I love M7 (the original and Oud Absolu) and sport it every autumn, but I am not looking for a clone or something similar and Soul by Costume National thank goodness is its own stand alone fragrance. First, the opening is very sweet with cardamom and citrus, the oud is there but muted a bit by the leather. The oud is a bit skanky but very tame. The patchouli runs in and adds another layer of earthiness and stamps out the oud a bit more. There is a sweet vanilla note that comes in at the base and is just great and not at all cloying. Soul is then covered in a fresh, slightly minty and salty aura with the geranium and ambergris. So yeah the notes run to the base and do not evolve much more than that. What does this all mean? Well, there are quality separated notes that form a very rich fragrance, that works very well in cold weather. The performance is decent (needs maceration). However, Soul is not groundbreaking and very linear. Does this fragrance earn its spot in a fall/winter rotation? Yes, Soul is a solid performer and gets the job done on a day or night out in the cold. The only drawback is that this composition lacks fun, uniqueness and ultimately.... Soul.

Deep down in your soul So I once wrote about Promise by FM, it is by the same Master Perfumer - Mr. Ropion. Promise is rich, deep, and bright via the fruity apple and rose combo, it interesting but fell short of a masterpiece. I wondered how that scent would smell like if it had oud. Guess What? Soul by Costume National is the answer! This smells very similar to promise but dare I say better? Certainly more value for money and certainly still interesting. What is striking is the "tangy apple accord" is apparently created without any apple actually in the frag. I think it is coming from the oud and ambergris, possibly patchouli. It could be tricky for a lesser skilled perfumer. Classic Dominique , he creates mimic accords by blending different notes like Rose and Cuir doesn't have Rose or Leather. This scent has a rich dry-down and the amber notes start to take over after the tangy opening and "Oudy" mid. Truly, his skill shines in this scent. It is ideal for fall and winter and a night out. Costume National boasts about high quality ingredients and this master perfumer shines as this scent is rare and should be sought after for the enthusiast and the pacifist alike. "A beautiful soul is never forgotten" - 4.64/5

This is niche quality at designer price. Longevity and sillage are epic. Far better than lastest CNH batches, on par with CNH parfume version. Normally you cannot find such performance in designer fragrances. It fills the room with two sprays and you will be able to detect it on your clothes even after weeks. Scent is an absolute mass pleaser. Less unique but much more pleasant and sexy than the legendary CNH. It is suitable for blind-buy if you like warm/spicy/ambery fragrances. Best for dates and romantic situations, classy wear, and elegant settings. Still, it is quite verstile and may be used on any occasion if applied moderately (except in summer days; avoid at all costs above 25 degrees Celcius). Not a groundbreaking scent, but its quality is in the same league with vintage DHI or LIDGE. I've more than 50 different fragrances, and this may be the best when all factors are taken into account. Unfortunately it is very difficult to find. Please Costume National, do not discontinue this gem.

Soul is absolutely one of the best fragrances I have ever smelled. Easily in my top 10 of all time. Sourcing bottles has been difficult as of late, In the USA anyway. This is Domenic Ropion at or near his best. Such an underrated fragrance from an underrated house. I like powerful, loud fragrances that perform well and have great longevity. But the drydown has to be fantastic, since that is what the bulk of most wearing experiences winds up being. And Soul has one of the best I've ever experienced in the amber/oud/cardamom/vanilla game. It is almost indescribably exceptional. Just my opinion, of course. I've sampled or owned many niche ambers and spicy ouds, and Soul just does it for me. My skin loves this stuff. In the air, it is noticed and apparently very likeable (I assume because you can't really miss it ). Lots of positive reactions (I hate to say compliments). Wish I could find more bottles. If anyone knows a reputable fragshop in the USA that has this new......

I came across CoSTUME NATIONAL several years ago, well before the pandemic. I was going through one of those independent fragrance stores, I didn't know what to think of the brand. After trying it out, I was hooked immediately. I bought Soul, and wore it that day. I enjoyed the undisturbed oud note. Not like several brands they need to add amber or leather notes to support the oud note. After it settled, I'm able to pick up both ambergris and vanilla making it a very attractive winter fragrance. I'm able to pick up a slight vib of cardamom and leather. Longevity and Sillage is excellent lasting at least 8 hours on my skin. It's amazing when I bought 100ml bottle for $80.00. It's now almost double. If I came across this juice now, I don't know if I could justify these ridiculous prices. I admit the quality is there, not like a lot many others which barely last like a fart. Knowing this brand, once I run out, I will try to buy another bottle. 8.5/10

Amazing Amber! Soul deserves its hype! Incensy, slightly-vanillic hefty dose of amber (not ambergris) warmed up with a mildly-spicy cardamom note, and finally a touch of oudy woodiness. Warm, spicy, ambery, woody, incensy, slightly-vanillic, oudy. This is an excellent creation by Costume National! However the smell is of resinous amber not the fresh/salty ambergris. The vanilla/amber combo also gives a light banana-like smell but it is not overt for most. Does it smell like YSL's M7? No. But they are partially similar and they share the same theme of warm amber/oud combination with a green twist of patchouli in Soul and vetiver in M7. Note that there is no patchouli in the original M7, however it was added in its re-release M7 Oud Absolu, which is about identical to the original. Soul is quite the Arabic scent. If you like that style of perfumery, this is worth a try. A masculine, cool weather wear. Love!

What people say in other review about resemblance to Interlude is wrong and misleading, if you try both this and Secret Woods you'll notice a much closer resemblance between the latter and Interlude, at least in the opening and general scent profile, then SW gets smoother and toned down, probably more wearable than Interlude. Just to clarify. Soul is somewhat ambery as others have stated, I would say oriental, slightly medicinal (in a good way though), ambery or slightly boosy sweet meaning that it is a mature and grown up sweetness and not juvenile (vanilla, tonka, musk, fruity...) at all. Great performance on skin and clothes, it is round, smooth, never aggressive, but it is a little authoritative and classy so it requires to carry yourself accordingly to be congruent, like a proper dark casual suit or at least chinos and a shirt, a sportcoat or blazer, a coat maybe, and please no sneakers

Opens very similar and spicy to CN Homme. Cardamom up too, only difference is Homme is more clove forward. This also has a nice fresh bergamot and geranium that dissipates within an hour- very pleasant. Transitions to a sweet, woody scent with patchouli in the background. At this point, you can detect a ‘leather’ style scent, but only faintly. It just peeks it’s head out occasionally. Stays a sweetened patchouli scent throughout the rest of its life- vanilla and ambergris being the sweetness / saltiness (ambergris here isn’t animalic it’s very pleasant and maybe adds to the longevity?) Talking about longevity- 3 sprays and I could smell it for 8 hours easily. After an evening and morning shower- I could still smell it from my skin. Longest lasting fragrance I’ve tried comparable to Ombré Nomade on my skin. VERY impressed with performance.

Best blind buy ever. If you love cardamom and oud (like I do), I think you will like this. I think I found my new signature scent because this stuff smells amazing. For me it has that la nuit de l’homme vibe but with oud instead of cedar in the opening. It also has a bit of that medicinal smell in the opening like br540 extrait which I like, but after 1,5/2 hours it settles to this beautiful spicy sweet and woody scent. This stuff last long and sillage is pretty good. After 7/8 hours it pushes a little and becomes a skin scent after 10 hours. So I guess that says enough about the longevity. Only downside is the atomizer. I would suggest to spray twice instead of once when spraying. It really surprises me that this one goes under the radar.

Far stronger than Kurkdijan’s Velvet Mood and not as salty as Nasomatto’s Pardon but smokier and as sweet as that at a better price. Not quite as oud but CoSTUME NATIONAL’s Soul won itself a fan for its smokiness, sweetness, and for smelling like the best kind of musk minus the sweat salt. Enough oud to smell deliciously woody too. Gorgeous, and bought the bottle: signature-worthy. PS: first fragrance besides my Penhaligon’s Lily Of The Valley to get lots of compliments. EDIT: I seem to have a love-hate relationship with Soul! One month ago I thought it was too sweet. This month, it’s pure sweet-savoury vanilla oud goodness! Perhaps you need to be in a certain mood to rock Soul! And right now, I’m happy I kept it!

For me this one was a blind buy, and I'm overwhelmed by its charme. The warmth it spreads, the underlying spiciness, and yes, I agree with rob2b (see below), there's also some sexual suggestiveness. It advances a bit like a softer and sweeter version of the magnificent "Homme" by the same brand, which comes as no surprise considering that they are both creations by the mighty M. Ropion. This one is classified as unisex, but I'm pretty sure that a survey would bring as a result that 99% consider it a masculine. That said, I think it could also fit a lady. If two people of different sexes wearing this one at the same time would meet by chance, I bet a happy and fulfilling relationship is the result. *****

Cardamom and pink peeper opening and leather and geranium mid notes are stupendous. But, really it settles out to become vanilla, patchouli, and amber that I live with for almost 10 hours. 4 sprays and 5 hours later I had women walking from their offices to say how much they love it when I walk through the hallways! Several men simply moved closer and said, "Niiice...". This is very well formulated ( Ropion). Smells smooth and unique enough to where anyone beyond the knuckle dragging development stage can appreciate it. A great fragrance for both genders. I wear it in any season but go lighter in high heat. Truly a lovely scent.

Love this one. Every time I wear this I'm reminded of vintage M7, (it smells nothing like M7 Absolu) one of my favourite scents. It's not identical but it shares similar characteristics for sure. To be honest, as much as l love M7, I find this more wearable and tend to use it for causal situations at weekends (yet to wear it to work as it doesn't seem suitable for an office) it's smooth and relaxing and lasts 10-12 hours with above average projection, providing a nice scent bubble. The reviews here (and on Basenotes) would suggest this is a polarising fragrance but personally, I find it beautiful to wear.

I'm really surprised to see this classified as unisex - to my nose, there are no feminine qualities whatsoever. This is a heavy fragrance - long lasting - the longest lasting I have. It shares similarities with homme, but has an oudy/honey smell that seems to differentiate. I think his is a fantastic scent and the quality is undeniable. To me, it stays pretty linear (and strong) - and just keeps pushing out for what seems like forever. I initially loved this, but have since grown away from the beasts like this because they wear me out. This is a great smell - and semi-daring. Go for it. 7/10

A rather sexually suggestive fragrance, where ambergris combines with woody and ambery notes, to sweet, lustful and spicy effect! It smells like spiced honey with urine and sexual afterglow. SOUL has the olfactory profile of an animalic, oudy Arabic attar, which is somewhat unexpected, considering the house it comes from, which is the embodiment of Italian left-field chic. If this were called "Mukhallat Royal", it would probably have gained more attention and got the customers it deserves. For me, this is a 10/10 fragrance and extremely well-done in its genre.

Spicy oud and amber. I have 4 different fragrances from Costume National, and they all punch well above their weight. I think it would be fair to say that Soul is niche quality at a designer price. When you first spray Soul, you are greeted with a slightly medicinal note which disappears after 10-15 mins. Your patience is rewarded with the finest blend of amber, oud and vanilla. And like all Costume National fragrances, it lasts all day. An awesome scent for a fantastic price...what can I say? It's good for your SOUL!!!

Got nose blind pretty quickly, which made me overspray. Does not project a lot. Sits super close to the skin. Pretty good professional scent. Super lowkey and a total hit. I am getting a cardamon oud combination. Maybe some minimal leather in the background. It does have this boozy accord which is not listed. So I am wondering if I am the only one imagining it. In the deep drydown I am getting some overture man. Without the cummin. A bit watered version of it. This is a banger! 8.5/10