Royal Princess Oud 2024

EN Royal Princess Oud is one of those fragrances that immediately surprises you with its elegance, balance, and sense of quality. Creed positions it as a feminine perfume, but on skin it tells a far more interesting story: it is a true unisex fragrance, clean, refined, and perfectly wearable by anyone who loves luminous perfumery with real substance. What works best is precisely this beautifully constructed ambiguity: it is not a “women’s floral” in the shallow, predictable sense of the term, nor is it a dark, heavy, caricatured oud. It is an aristocratic, polished, airy fragrance with an elegant signature that remains composed from beginning to end. It has a modern refinement, never loud or flashy, that allows it to feel perfectly at home on both a woman and a man without seeming out of place on either. On skin, it gives the impression of true luxury, not something built on easy effects. The opening is bright and chic, the heart is soft, velvety, and carefully crafted, while the base brings depth without muddying the composition. The oud does not dominate here: it refines, structures, and adds nobility. And that is exactly what makes it so successful, because it never falls into heavy oriental excess or into an overly delicate floral direction. It stays in a magnificent zone of balance. It is one of those fragrances that brings to mind a well-dressed, self-assured person with taste, someone who has no need to show off. More than “feminine,” I would describe it as elegant, sophisticated, and genderless in the best sense. In fact, trying to confine it to the feminine category almost does it a disservice, because its real strength lies precisely in the way it moves naturally across gender lines. In short: a magnificent fragrance, extremely refined, truly upper-class in character, with a genuinely regal aura. Creed sells it as feminine, but in reality it is a pure unisex fragrance of a very high level. And perhaps that is its finest quality: it does not try to fit an label, it simply suits anyone with taste. _________ IT Royal Princess Oud è uno di quei profumi che sorprendono subito per eleganza, equilibrio e qualità percepita. Creed lo presenta come femminile, ma sulla pelle racconta qualcosa di molto più interessante: è un vero unisex, pulito, raffinato, perfettamente portabile da chiunque ami una profumeria luminosa ma con sostanza. La cosa più riuscita è proprio questa ambiguità ben costruita: non è un floreale “da donna” nel senso banale del termine, e non è neppure un oud scuro, pesante o caricaturale. È un profumo aristocratico, levigato, arioso, con una firma elegante che resta composta dall’inizio alla fine. Ha una raffinatezza moderna, mai urlata, che gli permette di stare benissimo sia su una donna sia su un uomo senza sembrare fuori posto in nessuno dei due casi. Sulla pelle dà l’impressione di un lusso vero, non costruito con effetti facili. L’apertura è luminosa e chic, il cuore è morbido, vellutato, molto curato, mentre il fondo porta profondità senza sporcare la composizione. L’oud qui non domina: rifinisce, struttura, dà nobiltà. Ed è proprio questo che lo rende così riuscito, perché non cade mai nell’eccesso orientale pesante né nel floreale troppo delicato. Resta in una zona di equilibrio splendida. È uno di quei profumi che fanno pensare a una persona ben vestita, sicura di sé, con gusto, senza bisogno di ostentare nulla. Più che “femminile”, lo definirei elegante, sofisticato e trasversale. Anzi, volerlo chiudere nella categoria femminile gli fa quasi un torto, perché il suo vero punto di forza è proprio la capacità di muoversi in modo naturale tra i generi. In sintesi: profumo magnifico, finissimo, di classe alta, con un’aura davvero regale. Creed lo vende come femminile, ma in realtà è un puro unisex di grande livello. E forse è proprio questo il suo pregio più bello: non cerca di adattarsi a un’etichetta, semplicemente veste bene chi ha gusto.

A brilliant example of faux luxury. Four sprays from a sample I got at the department store for my second wearing and my opinion has sadly not improved. Weak. Anemic. Lacking creativity. Low effort. I keep waiting for Creed to surprise me in a good way, but the sad truth is that this brand in general has become (and always was to an extent) a hollow myth, replete with fragrances that aim to manipulate their audiences into thinking they're getting something special rather than actually creating something special. I can detect these phoney fragrances blindfolded at this point. For $120, I would shrug because while its boring, it isn't bad, but I just can't abide the premium facade, because it is just that--a facade. Please don't let yourself be fooled: the price is high because it makes you think its quality or exclusive (aka a Veblen good), but it isn't either, you're just being manipulated.

This is possibly one of my least favourite fragrances that I have tried sadly. It was just a powerhouse of oud to me but it smelt sour on my skin and I could not wait to get it off. It just seemed to overwhelm all the other notes. This was given to me by someone else who didn't like it for similar reasons. I have now traded it for something more my vibe

I tried a set of Creeds instore on Saturday (Btw Space NK Reading do something about your prototype rude snooty arse shop assistant please. I asked nicely if they had any blotters n the person looked me up n down like an unpleasant fragrance, then with ostentaciously folded arms sneered through duck lips, "Ja mean pa'pah?" No, no I meant blotters, which you ought to know considering you are working in a niche perfumery establishment. They then fetched a tub of them n banged them down on a shelf. If, on the other hand, Space NK, you were WANTING to employ somebody who could be lifted from an Ab Fab sketch, well done) and this was the only one that smelled even nice to me. Wind Flowers, Queen of Silk, Carmina (especially Carmina), all seemed.. not expensive smelling, but cheap n synthetic. This one is pleasant enough but has a silly name. Princess Oud would've been enough. Princesses are royal already. This is lighter than I was expecting, sheer, elegant. Only tested on a blotter though. A BLOTTAH.

This is a violet bomb. All of the notes literally come out together on first spray including the patchouli and sandalwood in spades - but it is powerfully violet - which I love. What I don’t like is that it is incredibly weak - after thirty minutes I can only smell it when I sniff exactly where I sprayed it. There is basically little projection or silage. Shockingly so. This came as part of the 5 x 10ml travel set and I’m glad I didn’t blind buy a full bottle. I don’t want beast mode, but I need ‘something’ for my investment!

They cut the budget for bottles lol. Soooo UGLY. Even Aqua Fiorentina has become much more uglier.