Rien

I apologise for the lenghty commentary, but the events related to this perfume were numerous and... STRANGE!!! Prologue: I got a sample of Rien several months ago from a reputable source. I couldn't understand why so many people described this perfume as arsh and even likened it to Anthaeus in the "remind me of" section - which I immediately down-voted. What I got from smelling it both from my skin and paper was that "second skin" effect that the press release mentions. Mostly aldehydes in the top, then amber, iris supported by the perfect type and dose of incense + something musky. That's it. I loved it and promised "you will be in my collection, baby!" Day 1 (or "I'm in shock!"): Fast forward to today, my copy of Rien was delivered to me, I eagerly unwraped my box, opened the bottle, sprayed it on and... what the hell is this!? The liquid in my bottle smells mostly of oak moss, leather, something violet-like and a very coarse resins mixture. Hell, I had to go back and vote for Antheous right away, though Rien probably smells more like Quorum at this stage... I reached for my still half full sample vial and spayed it on the other arm. No, I wasn't mistaken: these 2 are not the same thing. I don't know what happened, if there are 2 different formulations circulating, or maybe some of the raw material have unconsistent quality and properties depending on year of harvest... I haven't the foggiest idea. All i know is that I thought I made an informed purchased, but it turns out I practically made a blind buy. Could it be that this is a new batch and it needs to rest? 1 hour in and the differences are still abyssal. I'll update this review as the perfume developes on my skin. 2 hours in and I can definetely smell something very similar to the composition of the sample shining through, moss and rugged leather still going strong, although weaker that before. At the 3-hour mark the 2 versions smell very similar, but not identical. The one from the bottle still has mossy, leathery and almost piny notes. Well, that was quite a long journey. I would have never picked this one up in store. Instead, I would have most certainly thrown the blotter away before Rien could reveal its best side, (that is at least 2.5 hours too early). Honestly, 3 hours is a very long wait... But the thing that astounds me the most is how in my sample the mentioned rugged notes are totally absent. Even if it were old or had been stored in unappropriate conditions, how could a whole block of notes disappear? Are there 2 versions of Rien? After those 3 long hours I like the version from my bottle better: it's more interesting and complex, and despite being smokey it's as cozy and pampering as the sample version. Such a far cry from what you smell in the first 2 hours! Still, 3 hours...!!! Day 2 Major update: I stand by what I said yesterday because it was 100% true, yesterday, and partly today. However, maybe due to the fact that when the perfume was delivered to me it was freezing cold, today I found that even if the opening is still harsh and completely different from my sample, the transition into that very lovable part I talked about yesterday is much, much quicker: 15/20 minutes or so. I've been wearing Rien all day and God is it good, and comforting and charming. I kinda want to make it my signature scent now. I'm very, very, very happy to have it!!!

First impressions. To my surprise, from the cap, I instantly get a strong rose note. But in the opening, something completely different -- a cold soapy aldehydic blast that has some floral aspects and a weird "chemical" smell (bandaid, radishes, superglue, or something similar). Too many notes to really distinguish what is going on, but I like the complexity of it. In the mid phase, a cold incense accord appears. The combination of incense, aldehydes and florals reminds me of Guerlain Encens Mythique. But it's not a stuffy or churchy incense (like in CdG Avignon or Montale Full Incense) and is very smoothly blended. To my nose, the incense is not a central accord here, and all the reductionist nag champa talk is blown out of proportion. I do get some rose. Something spicy. Very unisex. There is indeed a civet-like animalic note in the background that you might get from Kouros, but the effect is more similar to Amouage Gold Man. The latter also has aldehydes, incense and florals, some kind of oriental muskiness, and is quite similar to Rien, also in terms of leaning towards unisex. Kouros, on the other hand, is much more abrasive, sour (the infamous "urinal cake"), aromatic/herbal, dense and masculine (due to the barbershop connotations). So yes, if you like Kouros, you probably like Rien, but not necessarily vice versa. As it dries down a bit more, it warms up and I get some cumin and leather, rose, something ambery. But there is never any real sweetness to it, which I like -- just enough to hold it together and ground the composition. In the "Reminds me of" section I see Bandit upvoted, and the dry, slightly spiced brown leather (with aldehydes) is a bit similar indeed, but everything else is different. Bandit is a green leather chypre, dry, bitter, aromatic and dense. Rien is much more easygoing, has an accommodating oriental vibe. By the same token, it is slightly similar to and different from Cabochard Gres -- Rien has similar old school leather and aldehydes with florals, but no green and bitter notes to speak of. I like it very much, but I'm not blown away with surprise. Some of the more baffled negative reviews must be coming from people who are not familiar with old school fragrances. There's nothing shocking or polarizing about Rien. If you like some of the fragrances I mentioned, own something from the Aramis line, regularly wear something from before 90s, have a soft spot for chypre fragrances in general and are OK with fragrances lacking sweetness, it could even be blind buy safe. It is a well blended and clearly modernized version of many greats from the past and a kind of homage to them. Two thumbs up, for the effort and for the result.

So, this one is weird. I have been wearing it dor some time now and I mostly get aldehydes and incense for days! Oakmoss, cumin and styrax are also noticeable. "Nothing" starts with a blast of aldehydes and incense. An overload for the first 20 mins. Then the oakmoss and styrax join the party. It stays that way for maybe 2, 3 hrs and then the amber and some smoky nuances come forward. Rien is fairly linear as there isn't a dramatic change from opening to drydown. The end result is a incensy, aldehidic, oakmossy olfactive cocktail with a dab of smoke and light amber. Nothing scary, pissy, super smoky or animalic for me, it's actually super wearable on my skin. 100% unisex too. I don't get leather here though. Absolutely no "realistic" leather note , such as in Tuscan Leather by TF, Gucci Guilty Absolute by Gucci, Black Musk by Montale, so if any of you are looking for a leather bomb, look elsewhere. Personslly, I would have liked the aldehydes toned down and leather amped up, because at times this turns almost soapy on me. 😶 Performance is ok, far from beastmode- 4/5 hrs on skin with an armslenght of a projection for the first 1,30 hrs. After that it stays within a amall scentbubble around the wearer, but it's still noticable for maybe two more. I see it appropriate for autumn, winter, chillier spring days, as it can get heavy in warm temps. The quality is there though, as it has a very smooth opening and transition. Nothing feels synthetic in the composition 👌 It's fine, I guess. Didn't blow my mind. This will be first and last bottle, as it's only a "like" for me. The aldehyde overdose just doesn't make any sense to me, as it truly prevents it in taking a more natural resinous and darker development. It"s the same thing as being able to run a marathon, but say "fuck it" and stop halfway for no apparent reason. It kinda feels artificially smothered and muted! It can be found for a bargain price. I bought Rien for the equivalent of 65 bucks for a 100ml tester. I personally wouldn't pay more than 80 dollars for it. Definately isn't one of my favourites from the brand. I don't really get the hype that Rien is an animalic, leathery beast. In conclusion- an incense, aldehydic bomb with some smoky, ambery, oakmosy nuances. Borderline soapy at times. For the fans of aldehydes. No leather, no florals, no patchouli. Rather linear. Suitable for autumn, winter, some chilly spring days. Unisex. Wearable, agreable and not challenging at all. Can be dound for a bargain. 7/10 Edit: I get it now. The aldehydes are indeed needed as they elevate and provide some "air" in the composition. One of my favourite frags ever. Blasting it throughout the cold season.

ELDO's sense of humor is as eclectic as their perfumes. Sometimes irreverent and downright crude, other times tongue-in-cheek and intellectual. In the case of Rien, the joke mostly takes the latter form. Rien, meaning "nothing", is the exact opposite of what this fragrance is... or is it? Antoine Lie rooted through his cabinet of perfume curiosities, found all of the most common and most pungent materials he had, turned each one up to their maximum potency of Spinal Tap 11, and smashed them together. If something smells like everything, well, then it mostly smells like nothing, right? A person rambling on to make a point, providing context ad infinitum, to try to say everything, then in effect they say nothing. If a perfume could be a contrarian, it would be Rien. The philosophical and rhetorical aside, what does it smell like? Glorious. In a way, Antoine Lie sort of "failed" in the quest to say/be "nothing" by saying/being "everything" because he has miraculously managed to make all of these disparate ingredients work together to have a common voice. Incense, rose, leather, labdanum, oakmoss, patchouli, balsams, vanilla, cumin, black pepper, and massive aldehydes - strange bedfellows indeed, but then Jekyll and Hyde both shared the same body after all. It's powdery, floral, animalic, green, leathery, earthy, spicy, and amberic. What glues it all together in my opinion are the overdoses of rose and aldehydes. The aldehydes are cranked to the maximum, the rose is dense and pungent, the soft green and woody moss their wingman, and together they have this effect of weaving throughout the perfume to cuddle and soften the cruder and dirtier earthy, leathery, spicy, and animalic notes. Give the perfume a big inhale and the powdery florals and greenness hit you like an enveloping cloud, but then, as the cloud parts, that animalic spicy earthiness hiding in the depths gives you a big mischievous grin. Jekyll & Hyde, for sure. Or It looking up at you from sewers. I can't say I understand how this works, and, in a way, I guess you could say that's because it doesn't actually work. But I'll be damned if I cannot stop wanting one more intoxicating sniff. What Antoine Lie has accomplished with Rien is truly original, a massive success through absolute failure. That's a paradox I think Etat Libre d'Orange would certainly appreciate.

I wear my sadness, or nothing at all. I’ve developed a rather spiritual relationship with Rien. It’s the first fragrance I’ve encountered that I find beautifully sad. Mind you, I’m not suggesting that as a flaw. I hadn’t realized it before, but sad fragrances are necessary. Most of my favorite perfumes are dry, fresh-spicy, and generally suited to daytime wear, yet I am not a cheerful person. Where my usual fragrances tend to help me rise above myself, Rien serves both as a space of comfort and a form of protection. One review I came across compared the scent of Rien to the smell of a funeral, and I cannot think of a better description: the leather interior of a hearse (vividly so), combined with the distinctive scent of those intimidating yet reassuring perfumes worn by ladies of another era. In my mind, Rien fuses both images into one. That is the magic of this creation. Rien smells divine, yet it is not welcoming. It feels intensely warm on the skin, yet it does not invite companionship. That is the beautiful paradox I find in this potion. So when I take my dog out at night, pepper spray in my pocket, Rien helps me feel better—more assertive, more armed. It speaks for me (Rien is very vocal). It says: I am not here to joke around. I’m not your fake baddy Paco Rabanne guy, nor your vanilla-scented buddy, I might be fragile but I cut like a sharp broken glass. Likewise, when I’m feeling blue, I usually avoid wearing perfume so as not to stain it with difficult memories—except for Rien. Rien embraces darkness so completely that it magnifies it without disguising it, and that is brilliant. I have not smelled the Intense Incense version, and I’m not convinced there is much point in altering a creation that is already perfect. Besides, a single spray of Rien lasts until you wash it off, so there is hardly any need to aim for something even more intense. I should also note that, with France currently enduring a historic and seemingly endless heatwave, this is a fragrance I greatly enjoy in hot weather. It never becomes cloying and actually develops remarkably well in the heat. That said, like any very powerful perfume, I would not impose it on others—and if someone finds it overwhelming, then they are already standing far too close to me. Off with them!

An olfactory experience. It smells like a very specific thing i don't know the name of, but i know that its color is warm beige, or light-grey+pink. Is it the aldehydes? I think it's VERY musky to the point of animalic. It's bright. Almost "morning". It seems like it hovers between the smell of clean bedsheets and an off-white milky secretion from some mammalian gland, or a solid bar of fat-based soap from the 18th century. That makes it both unique, familiar, and slightly off-putting, all at the same time. The leather exists but it's more like a texture than a scent, adding some ruggedness and toughness that balances the "soft" musk. The plant scents exist , I suppose, but are pushed back. like a single monstera in the corner of the bedroom. It doesn't smell like any "incense" i ever smelt, but maybe I haven't smelled enough incenses? It's SMOKY yes, but smoke is a texture here (like the leather) Very mellow sweetness - like the way lip balm might be sweet - not as a flavor. Technically unisex - but leans masculine. Sort of like a masculine version of JHAG's "white spirit". Realistically women have much more fitting feminine musky scents than this. This is more for a man who wants to express their soft / feminine side. Smells like a comforting familiar bed that you've had for 10 years, but is totally clean. I can't stop sniffing my wrists with this on, something very pleasant and enchanting about it with some musky stench - maybe like an awkward childhood memory that can't stop popping into your head and gives you warm nostalgia at the same time. I'd name this scent: "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind" instead. It's bold, and can't be ignored. It's organic, but not "natural" - (at least not the green, living kind - more like the way milk is organic but not "alive"). it's NOT balanced. It SAYS something. It has a LOT of character. Do I want to be that character? I'm not sure! I think for me personally it's missing just a tad bit of lively florals/fruit to balance off the heavy musk for actual wear in public. But I am so glad it exists. I might pull the trigger in the future.

My first impression is that this smells like Kouros. Lots of floral aldehydes drowning everything else. This isn't much more wearable than the modern kouros formula. Incense and leather are used with lots of artistic liberty. Second skin is kind of funny considering how smothering this is. I have some experience with ingredients and things tend to go in the kouros or interlude direction when getting carried away. Like trying to recover a paint color, can't take away, can only add. And you end up counter balancing into a gray nothing. I don't have experience with aldehydes but i know what can go wrong when mixing stuff like bergamot, basil, jasmine, and lavender oils. It can get pretty pissy, animalic, and smothering. This has so much going on it's simple to say it's a potent complex spicy sandalwood incense scent. This isn't for someone who really loves frankincense and myrrh Incense. It's good still. This one will be special occasions. It's got the depth from quality ingredients that makes it special in my collection for that 80s smell. I would have been better off going the other direction and getting more lorphaline by serge Lutens. I took the risk and missed on this one. Another lesson in blind buying and interpretation. I got plenty of hard to wear stuff. I need more easy reaches likes lorphaline. I can't give it a score or a name. It's trying really hard though. It starts very strong. I was kind of terrified. Smelled like it wasn't going to let up for awhile. It does soften up some a little earlier than expected. Good sign of a more natural formula. Then it does take on a more incense like role as this idea of a second skin scent comes in to play. And what a relief it is as the struggle could be similar to wrestling with a wet blanket. The scent left behind a testament to that struggle. This scent has helped me appreciate Kouros. And old-fashioned aldehydes. Took time to appreciate. I never liked them back in the 80s and 90s when my enthusiasm started. I don't know why I had high hopes to really enjoy these.

Since this one smells IDENTICAL to Rien Intense but with a lower concentration than Intense, I will paste the review I have for that one here: --- I feel a little stupid for not realizing sooner that this fragrance is themed after the Kaaba. The black box with gold trim on the bottle should’ve given it away immediately! The moment I smelled it, it is indisputable in my mind that is what ELDO was going for. It feels very intentional to me. Rien (and Rien Intense) smells very HUMAN in a way I cannot describe. This isn’t sandalwood or nag champa incense in Chinese or Indian shops. I feel like the notes here are deceptive, the "Incense" note is holding a lot of weight here. If i were to wager a guess, I would say that incense note is a combination of oud/agarwood/bukhoor, rose oil, frankincense and myrrh. The smell is smoky, woody, skunky, sweet, and resinous. It absolutely fills a room, and it will bring back memories in one way or another. For me, I am brought back to memories in a childhood friend's house and some hotels that I have slept in previously. It makes me picture a small, cozy room with rugs and tapestries. Some may call it a church-like incense, but I find this very homey and cozy. In Western terms, it’s closest to Calvin Klein’s Obsession or Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion, though this feels more authentic and refined. It's even slightly fruity, soapy, and sharp. In the western world, you will be a little unique for wearing this, but not the kind of fragrance for playful moods, but any comments saying it smells "satanic" are culturally insensitive and offensive and we should not perpetuate it. Makes me feel serious and professional. I want to put this in my "love" category but my love for this one isn't a passionate burning love, it is a quiet appreciation. Also, it smells identical to Rien (intense in this case) just a little stronger. sillage: enormous. longevity: eternal.

Reviewing this again after i’ve worn it for a while. The papers will deny it, but among hushed whispers, it’s apparent everyone feels it: the presence of something moving in the dark, something massive and incomprehensible. So, today, again, you’re crowding into the street after a vigil in a great hall. The words of the teacher meant nothing to you anymore. Where the spiritual once lay, a hollow remains. At night, the strange absence is probed for new developments, for a sign of something present inside of the yawning void. You were born in a place that doesn’t exist on a map anymore, and the cloud of incense carries out the heavy doors, riding above the masses, enveloping everything it touches. Behind what you thought to be truth there is nothing. You feel nothing. Like a rigid machine, you keep attending. It’s clockwork. You remain steadfastly religious, it’s all you can do. Ritual is the piece of stability you cling to, alongside every other shuffling alongside you. On the platform, their smells cloy together, combining into an oppressive blanket. Your own joins the fray. Cedar, camphor, lanolin. A wool coat that was hastily shoved into a trunk. You cannot afford to buy a new one. Your currency is worth nothing. Up against the wall of heavy dread, there is clean aftershave. Leather goods. Nice soap. Applied as a front of propriety, yet another ritual to preserve the old truth. At best a thin veneer to mask the revelation of civility as a house of cards to be usurped by a something basal. At worst a sterile cloak drawn over something lurking behind the curtain of humanity. Suddenly, there’s a hush and the lights turn off. The flame extinguishes and there’s only darkness. You can smell sulfur. The sweetness of phenol.

Parfum lovers.... CONOISSEURS and Parfumeurs, am I the only one who thinks that the ingredients' list declared above is nothing but a daring jog parade. RIEN is the dark lord's adopted child born from the forbidden breeding of Estee Lauder's Knowing and her cousin Givenchy Gentlemen the Classic,born unhealthy, abandoned in the wood, breastfed and raised up by the wolves. Tearing off his animalic wet slippery plasenta of pure castoreum and civet, raising up towards to the moon with his immature bittery acidic melon corona, unveileing ferociously the freshly sacrificed sheep's skin wrapped around him, dropping his bitter and sour rotten coconut milk traces behind to attract his followers to his nest. From the first moment on I was blessed to get to know this miracle, my relationship to RIEN has always been a worshipping ritual at each splash.There are times I wear it suolo, times I carry it 1 to 2 doses mixed with his daddy who had foresaken him:the Givenchy Gentlemen.And acknowlede! No one and nothing could ever compare,compete or beat this holy beast.This chef d'œuvre of parfum art and measure stone of niche perfume dramaturgie is still on market without compromising from its 24 hour longevity and massacre silliage even if you take a shower inbetween. Enjoy it, those lucky ones who are born with the devoted appreciation of unconventional rebellious expressionism and after so many years still cannot help doing otherwise.

Funny story, one day me and one work colleague just brought tens of perfume samples to work and we organized an ad-hoc perfume smelling session. She had an ELDO discovery set she bought from France. ELDO perfumes almost always give me the feeling of very chemical harsh smells. And in a lot of them I feel a strong opening of what I can only describe as sour, like pickled cabbage. This one also has that opening for a short minute there. However, as that sour smell disappears, you are left with a smell that I can only describe as follows: The smell of an old orthodox church, small, austere, like we have here in Romania. Old wood imbued with years and years of frankincense burning. Dust... It is the exact memory of the times I had to go to the church against my will as a child and kneel in silence for hours, not understanding much of what was happening. Yet now, that memory has in my mind an otherworldly grandeur. I no longer believe in God now, but I love this perfume. I love small, old and lonely churches. For me, this perfume carries, just as much as the scent of incense, the note of old, solid wood used for church pews, so if you are looking for that, there is nothing more accurate than Rien. It is how I imagine Adi ale Van "The White Hero" smells, given that he made it to smell like a Romanian church.

After some wearings, my impressions are as follows. The opening blast is similar to Kouros: aldehydes, incense, spicy notes, civet, urinal-cake-whatever vibe, dense as the Big Bang. Very over the top, but nicely done. In the mid phase, everything is already much mellower -- I get incense and what seems to be saffron (note pyramid from the company's website), so it veers away from Kouros and turns oriental. Some powderiness there. The animalic musk that appears as civet in the beginning, morphs into castoreum in the drydown -- less sour and more earthy, waxy. The (sueded) leather accord also becomes apparent in the drydown and I also notice rose. This combination and the overall comforting feeling reminds me of Antaeus. The very dry-drydown and residue on clothes (hours and hours later) is mossy and slightly sweet, reminding me of Kouros yet again. So, for me, it is 1/3 Kouros, 1/3 Antaeus and 1/3 some kind of incensy oriental. What's not to like? I've tried wearing this at the office, but it requires very precise dosing. The juice is very powerful and the sprayer works like a shotgun. You would have to get a 1/2 spray out of it somehow, and even then it would be advisable to let it breathe some 30 minutes before entering any indoor public spaces. Hardly a criticism though.

Oh, this is nice. A strong, dark, hissy leather, with an old-fashioned feel despite its modern minimalism; it reminds me a bit of Bandit. There's definitely aldehydes in here, and probably civet as well. The overall effect is capital-P Perfume, streamlined and reduced to its essence: fierce dark-brown leather with an animalic edge and classical polish. Sometimes I also get a ghostly rose around the edges. And then, several hours in, I get the first hint of sweetness; a rather pure, simple amber-vanilla, like a thin drizzle of butterscotch syrup in an otherwise dark-and-bitter context. There's also something that smooths out the leather a bit (maybe the "iris") so that the overall effect is substantially milder. But we're still predominantly in a dark-brown civet-leather zone, just a bit more mellow and golden. Leathers are all very similar, so at this point it's hard for a new one to truly blow my mind, but Rien is a modern classic, and probably the ancestor of many deliciously-brutal leather scents. Luca Turin agrees with me that Rien is basically a stripped-down Bandit. If you like your leather bone-dry, whip-sharp, and pleasantly animalic, but you don't want all the flowers and chypre-y accoutrements in Bandit, Rien is your pick. It's perfectly heartless.

religious fervor. on my hands and knees in a Catholic church. amazing and beautiful, yet demanding and powerful. the light, perfumed holy water in the darkest, smokyest, dingy, asphyxiating church. The opening was a beautiful light dance of patchouli, rose, cumin, and pepper. In the air, you get a beautiful green candy-like smell, but up close on the skin, you get that heavy, gritty, smokey, and pungent insense. drying down, you mostly get incense and patchouli. The spice of the opening is gone, and now you really smell the grit of the incense. It is strong and abrasive. This is probably coming from that hardy leathery note. It's so smokey and smooth. This is so strong and lasts forever; this truly is room-filling. just two sprays, and this fills and lingers in my room. I wish this was more well-loved and versatile, I think this scent perfectly encapsulates who I am as a person, but this definitely isn't a crowd-pleaser. If you're looking for a nice, everyday fragrance, this isn't it. This is for the dark, vampiric, gothic, brooding person filled with religious trauma. Personally, I would give this a 9/10 because I just love this scent. It smells amazing, but I wouldn't have any occasion to wear this fragrance.

I think I must be the only one not getting the leather overdose in Rien. I find it a cold fragrance. Metallic. If someone told me that this is called Secretions Magnifiques, I would probably believe them. Incense as in Orthodox Church in winter, after a night of heavy rain. Metallic spoons serving communion wine, iron candle holders. A snuffed candle by the breeze of opening doors. In front of me, an older Eastern European woman, wearing a Chanel N°5 imitation. It makes my nose itch but I come closer because I want to get another whiff of it. Lights out. The heavy rain must have affected the power supply. In the darkness, light from outside. And in the corner of the door, this young guy wearing a leather jacket is smoking, peeking through the glass paneled door. I close my eyes and I smell the flowers sold by the cemetery entrance. This is Rien. To me. What I don’t experience in my dream church but can smell in real life and somehow anchors me to my dream (was it a dream?) is an animalic background. I close my eyes again. I walk to the half open door, and that young man is wearing Kouros. I open them and I can sense its last remains of sillage in my room. 9/10. Sillage and longevity from here to eternity.

When you're good at what you do. You can make you're own Kouros and Habit Rouge. Then combine them and get Rein by eldo. This is a 1 to 1 parts combo of those fragrances. Aldehyde and musk bomb! The bottle should have miniature caution tape printed on it. It's a big intimidating smell. Not many are ready for this. It's overwhelming. I put two sprays on to go play darts last year and people are still complaining about the lingering smell. I offended the whole town, family and friends were checking in on me after hearing about it. People are afraid of this stuff. Many people speak of the leather in here which I can barely detect. It reminds me more of heavily perfumed floral alters of sandalwood incense. Headshop type potent spicy floral sandalwood incense. Use caution when wearing this, someone is likely to speak about it to others like you committed some horrendous atrocity with malicious intent and enjoyed it. I'm using artistic liberty and being hyperbolic to add emphasis. I adore this scent personally. It's super potent too. A little goes a long way. 50ml is plenty. It's hard to put a dent in when one spray is so strong. Some days it's just too intense. People do eventually come around to this.

BOY does this fragrance pack a punch; EPIC projection and it seriously lasts all day and all night. I would definitely love to smell this on a man and I have to say, while it's not the typical scent associated with feminine fragrances, it has the grandiose and dark power of femininity written all over it. It was definitely a scent I wasn't sure I could stand up to on the initial spray but ultimately actually made me feel so confident and powerful and the more I wore it, the more I fell in love. I would not wear this during the day, at least not outside of Winter. It has a bunch of controversial notes like patchouli and cumin so if you aren't sure what side you stand on with those, this is definitely not a safe blind buy. Personally, those notes sit well with my skin chemistry, it was more the leather, styrax and general outstanding body of this fragranced that intimidated me. I would not describe it as a universally approachable incense scent but what I will say is bless the ELDO House and the unique, artistic perfumes they unapologetically send off into the ether at us because every single one finds an audience who appreciate its stupendous beauty.

On first sniff, Rien conjured images of having my cheeks pinched by a pointy grandma with loads of makeup, wearing fake leather and smoking, in summer. It was completely shocking to me however I kept going back to the tester, sniffing the atomizer multiple times a day, entranced. I eventually bought a full bottle. This remains my favourite fragrance. Industrial, strange, aggressive, sharp, unique. I usually wear a couple sprays on the chest if I'm going to the office and enjoy smelling the dry down wafting up from within my shirt for hours and hours. Despite the claims of many about how not work friendly or offensive this is, I've never had a comment on this from coworkers, positive or negative. Sadly, I don't get the liturgical incense or church associations that many get however I often wear it to mass and, while smelling the incense in the air, the two fragrances interact and reveal facets in common. If there were a version of this that leaned more towards church incense I'd blind buy it in a heartbeat, if you can think of something then please let me know! If you sample Rien then spray it on skin and leave or for at least 30 mins before judging.

I adore this. I get that it’s controversial though. on me it smells like a Catholic Church. Very nostalgic to my nose. I adore it. the incense is both churchy and hippie like. it smells both hollistic AND Cristian. very interesting. maybe its the patchouli that makes me think of crystal shops and such. The leather is prominent as well. Kind of smells like oudh to me. Very animalic. The florals I get in the dry down. But it's barely there. The initial spray is very aldehalic. Sometimes suffocatingly so. This lasts like 15 minutes. The dry down is sweet, soft, amber like and smoky. The image that pops up in my head: a leather jacket resting next to you while you attend church. Not because you want to, but because it makes your mother happy. I LOVE this and it might be my signature scent. I also get complimented quite often wearing this one. now I don't really care about that. but the compliments were very direct. someone said to me 'I could stand like this all day' while smelling my neck. I didn't even know her. you are either addicted to it or not. there's no middle ground with this one.

Bold and strangely beautiful. Something you might smell on a vampire as it pulls you in to bite your neck. The atomizer smells just like a fresh pack of incense followed by an aldehydic almost plasticy smoke and flower, synthetic civet when sprayed. I can see the urinal cake reference, but thankfully not off putting to me as there is more going on. It mellows on the dry down but lingers. After reading the reviews I was a bit worried about this blind buy, but it was not as weird as I feared. If you can appreciate vintage incense and slightly animalic perfume (e.g, Shalimar) this won’t be that weird for you, it is more modern in the style though. I love the lack of compromise to make it more sweet or pretty. Definitely niche and not going to suit all occasions or people. Side note: I was surprised that it layers really well with sweeter scents which almost tames the harsher aspects while keeping the character underneath. I particularly liked it with a BR540 clone ( I know, sacrilege!) and it made the clone much more interesting.

Smells like someone’s recovered the detritus from my long-lost leather school pencil case - some bits of rubber, pencil shavings, a few bits of broken plastic ruler - then lightly blowtorched the resulting heap, along with the pencil case itself, before dumping the lot in a vat of No. 5 that’s been left on a radiator for an hour or two. But - at risk of lapsing into Fragrantica review cliche - in a good way. Starts out strong, birchy and pleasingly harsh but quickly softens while remaining powerful, and with plenty to watch as time progresses. Sadly no fecal or animalic notes for those amongst us who enjoy the finer things, but you can’t have everything, and we at least get some cumin. If you only have space for one of the two, this may well be the one to opt for, especially if you worry about Diane from Accounts and her allergies; that said, I find that this and its big daft goon of a brother, Rien Intense Incense (qv), inform one another. To smell one is to find new corners in its counterpart.

“Everything is nothing." What a creation! Many notes (many more than those found here on frag), of all kinds, which give life to an iridescent perfume, which from the initial leather / incense, sees the arrival of aldehydes, the dusty scent of iris, hints of amber notes, animalic, spicy ... it changes a lot on me, the notes that my skin brings out the most and that prevail in my nose are those of incense, aldehydes and violet as a nucleus, surrounded by all the others. Beautiful fragrance, goes into wishlist. Persistent and suitable for any season, I personally find it exceptional for summer evenings, I find it very fresh. Everything is nothing, therefore, since everything is destined to vanish, including the pain itself and the desperation that this awareness arouses in the soul. Pain is nothing because it is destined to pass, to dissolve like any other existing thing. Remind it. “Monk on the Seashore” painted by Friedrich.

Another Eldo banger blind buy for me..For this one i did no research..Opens insanely sharp and very similar to Kouros...I own both and tested them side by side..Kouros leans more animalic while Rien is sharper and way more synthetic...Whenever i move im in a cloud of a chemical gas,but something about it is addictive,like smelling petrol..It reminds me of a smell in a designer clothes store...Its obviously better than that description,it behaves differently when you test on skin in right weather with proper application..I wore this a bunch of times and only sprayed under the t shirt and on the back of the neck...I think this will shine in the coldest winter days..It can work in summer but 2 sprays max.My girl likes it and it surprised me because i expected no compliments..It lasts 12+ hours on skin and multiple days on clothing..Very vintage feel,great bottle and atomizer..A refined taste to say the least

It’s much too much of a singular accord to me, which makes the entire thing a species of abstraction. The only référent others below have mentioned which I do get is a public restroom—NOT the urine, but the chemicals used to deodorize them, the two odors so linked in common experience that smelling something urinous makes sense. But urinous or animalic to me it is not. Hell I can’t even smell leather (until long after spraying), but incense, yes, but not foregrounded; blended in. What H24 and Ganymede may be argued to have attempted to do, only Rien achieved: future-ward, inhuman, unnatural. I do love it, how refreshing it is as an olfactory experience but I could never wear it for 4 days straight. After 3 days, I end up near-desperate to smell something floral or skanky or anything else that recalls something from the living world. In my humble opinion, a mis-marketed piece of art.

This is such an interesting fragrance! The opening is smokey, ambery and gasoline like with a strange chemical quality then it mellows into a warm, leather-incense driven animalic scent. It is powerful, especially in the first two hours. After some time it becomes much more approachable, but it's certainly not a crowd pleaser. The longetivity is great, on skin it's a comfortable 6 hours, on clothes it sits for days. On my skin it's quite masculine, I cannot really imagine it on a lady. It has some dirty, skanky qualities. It's dividing and eccentric. Somehow I find this pretty versatile, but simply because I cannot imagine a situation where this would be a reasonable choice. But if you look for trouble - well, this is an elegant way for looking trouble. It's not a safe blind buy. Good value.

ELDO Rien (2006) - animalic leather - i never understood the advertising like “second skin” until I got to try #antoinelie ‘s perfume. This clings onto you and morphs with your body chemistry. At the start, I get Blackcurrant with Aldehydes. But that doesn’t long as the heart of the fragrance makes itself known. A combination of Leather, Iris, smoky Labdanum, spicy Cumin create a leather scent that is so unique and multi-faceted that it comes across as interpretations of #eaudhermes #cuirderussie #knizeten and #kouros all rolled into one. The dry down is a combination of that leathery heart with the persistence coming from well-chosen musks, including a civet-like substance, Oakmoss, Patchouli, and woody Styrax. Beautiful, Haunting, Romantic. What else could you ask for?

brilliant overflowing aldehydes, leather, incense, a gorgeous woody-smokey-spicy heart as it dried I got such a clear image of opening an old wooden cabinet filled with bars of soap I get the religious associations, in a way it feels blasphemous. I think of that church scene in Multiple Maniacs dominant, sophisticated, gothic, edgy, and so dark, it would suit someone with similar qualities though it has more than enough of them on its own it's so commanding and seductive, like wearing a black leather trench coat with nothing underneath, those around you may be lured in to uncover what you are(n't) wearing I reckon it could have easily stayed past 24 hours, I got 9 until I washed it off - it's inescapable with massive sillage and will stick hard to your clothes

An example of a couple dancing in three different locations: First, the couple start dancing in a hall filled with dusty brown leather sofas with herbs stuck in their gaps, where a half burned incense stick with a cumin scent slightly fills the space. After about 30 sweaty minutes these two lovers step out onto the terrace to breathe in a breeze scented with flowers (lilies and an equal measure of roses) and a pleasant hint of vetiver. Then, after 2 to 3 hours they decide to return to the basement of the house still together to rest on a comfortable leather couch this time free of dust, near people who are smoking hookah and other herbs. Personally, I consider this Antoine Lie masterpiece far superior to the Intense version of the same fragrance.

I've read quite a few of the reviews here and mostly I see negative remarks. All I have to say is - ARE YOU PEOPLE CRAZY? This is one of the most magnificent perfumes I have ever smelled! And believe me I have smelled (and owned) a lot of great perfumes. Chanel's Cuir de Russie, Guerlain's Mitsouko (which is my most favorite scent ever!), L'Heure Bleue ( some say old-fashioned, I say classic) -I could go on and on, but I won't. Anyway, my point is I would put Rien in the same line up as any of the greats. It is a masterpiece of perfumery. And this is said by a 56 year old woman, who only a couple of years ago was afraid to go out of her Guerlain, Chanel, Dior comfort zone. I am out now and enjoying a multitude of new houses and fragrances! Yipee!

Normally I prefer orientals or florals, and I spray discreetly. One to three sprays, tops. For reasons that escape me (perhaps it's the aldehydes?) I love Rien, especially when I spray it more vigorously. Say, 8 or 9 sprays all over. Somehow, a thorough application of Rien lets all of its facets shine. The aldehydes, leather, and incense are the stars of course, but the powdery sweetness of the rose and iris shine more brightly when you go all in with this fragrance. Rien is powerful, confident, and calming all at once. I love to wear it when I have a big deadline coming. Somehow, I feel suited up and ready to conquer, with a leathery armor of Rien to help me face down any obstacle.

I love this perfume! I've been wearing it almost daily since 2018 when I first smelled it in a perfume store and couldn't get it out of my head for weeks. I love how it is smoky and warm and spicy. It lingers forever on my clothing and I can usually smell it the next day on my wrists, even when I shower. It's too strong for a lot of my friends that I show it to, and there definitely is nothing subtle or skin-like here. It keeps the woody, aromatic and vaguely floral notes throughout wear. I get a lot of compliments on it when I wear it out and it has become a signature scent that friends and family associate with me. I am on my second bottle. I definitely recommend

Cardinal-esque fragments embedded in a dense and vaporous blackened birch-like leather. Formidable. The aldehydes give the fragrance a unique twist suggesting the sour aspect of frankincense. As it settles Rien, for me, evokes the scent of Chinese lacquer boxes, and I am honestly surprised to see that no one has mentioned a lacquer or varnish note. I found the scent more interesting than likable at first but have since come to find it intoxicating when the mood strikes. It's been years since I've smelled Black Tourmaline but I am making a connection ("feels like" rather than "smells like"). This might appeal to those who appreciated that fragrance.

The longevity of this has declined a lot since the 2010s but it's still just gorgeous. It's volatile, bitter and beautiful - it reminds me of Bandit but also more generally of 'old-school' perfumes, cigarette smoke, industrial compounds, wet mossy tree bark, cities in winter, leather jackets and tyre rubber. If this lasted better I'd rank it in my top 5; as it is, when I'm wearing it I find it hard to imagine why I'd want to wear anything else. The only downside I can think of is that it's not exactly a people-pleaser insofar as it differs markedly from mainstream perfume. I'd love to try Rien Intense to see if it lasts better.

To start off this scent is about incense, leather, and aldehydes. If you love incense it does not automatically mean that you will like this perfume. The incense here is very unique and unlike other incense fragrances. Also, the aldehydes are strong and add a unique character to the incense. How does it smell? = Church and wax candles. but not everyone will catch that church smell !!! An important fact Some people say it smells just like a vintage leather biker jacket or car tires, so be ready that this is a unique scent. A lot of churchy wax candles—a lot. To me, this is the most realistic church scent with wax candles.

I first bought a sample pack and this Rien was the only one I fell in love with. I just couldn’t stop smelling my hand, yes it’s a lil weird at first and unique but it’s also mesmerizing and becomes much nicer upon dry down. I absolutely love this perfume. I had to buy a full bottle of Rien and Rien Intense Incense. Coz if one Rien is amazing then two are even better . I don’t care if other ppl don’t like it, I do and that’s all that matters . I wear scents for myself, not for impressing others or even for compliments . If I love it, then that is all that matters. Wear what makes you happy.

Love! I prefer this over Rien Intense Incense 100%. It's beautiful and smokey and still has a very strong incense note, but it's a lot sweeter than it's flanker (at least on me). I can't comment on the longevity of this fragrance as I've only been wearing it for 30 minutes or so, but I think I already know I'd like to get a full bottle. It's very dark and religious feeling, and the projection also feels quite strong. Definitely unisex for me. Also, I'm usually not a fan of leather notes, but rather enjoy it in this fragrance. This is great!

I wish I could experience the first time I smelled Rien again. I have never before been emotionally moved by a fragrance this way. This triggered some deep nostalgic emotion for me. It's like a play in 3 acts. The blast of leather that fades into incense then to peppery rose, it was a childhood memory - riding in the backseat of my father's thunderbird to a funeral, sitting in church, being hugged by aunts wearing sophisticated scents, then sitting among all of the flowers in the funeral home. It is extremely personal, I crave it.

I don't know if I've EVER had a cologne explode with fragrance like Rien does. It's like I set off a fragrance bomb. What a beast! The aldehydes shoot incense and styrax throughout my entire house. Smell is incredible incense with leather and musk laying just beneath the surface. Not a dark leather, more like a strong suede. Addictive and enchanting. Cumin is not present to my nose. Styrax and maybe some amber, patchouli, and definitely animal musk. Outstanding and addictive 👌 Scent 9.5/10 Performance 10/10

Super strong leather and incense. I sprayed it on my arm at the perfumery, let's just say I could still smell it after showering and washing my hands. Definitely not a safe blind buy, it's extremely controversial. I wanted to get it, but almost non of my friends nor family liked it. It smells like a witch's hut. I adore the vibe, I adore the scent profile, but it's not wearable at all, I just can't seem to find an occasion this perfume would fit. If I ever became a witch, this would be my signature scent.

You walk into the old forgotten convent somewhere in the mountains, and in there there are catacombs under the building. As you wander through those catacombs, suddenly, an old nun chamber appear in fornt of you with an old closet. You open the closet and right there, a dead nun skeleton falls upon you, followed with almost decayed clothes full of moth balls and dust, and aturated with centuries of incense smoke...That is how Rien smells. ( I like to nickname it "Dead Nun". I adore that perfume.

Me (after spraying Rien): I’ve never smelled so refined! The classical French structure, the Chanel level of aldehydic perfumey-ness in this postmodern, je-ne-sais-quois, androgynous - Her: Oh god what is that smell? Did someone just pee on you? Me: What?! At worst I may smell like I was licked head to toe by some patchouli-soaked hippies! Her: The pee though... At least I have the good grace not to wear the Intense version around her. Love love love, full bottle for life!

To my nose this is a smoother, more refined take on Yves Saint Laurent 80’s beast, Kouros. Almost identical, but richer, smoother and far, far better than the latest terrible incarnation of the aforesaid. Mouth watering, delicious and an example of a masterclass in how a perfume should be. Great projection! Great sillage! And lasts all day on my skin! Rien means ‘nothing’ but, this means everything to me. This is my kind of scent! Beautiful!

how do i begin to describe how this scent feels... it's definitely masculine for me. smells like a priest in a small semi-abandoned town on the east coast, who also works as a mechanic in his own garage. his fingers smell of incense and machine oil. it's like someone built a church in a smoky industrial neighbourhood. it's a shame my boyfriend doesn't like it, because i would absolutely adore smelling this on him

Absolutely beautiful, smells exactly like incense mixed in with a bag of herbs and florals. Definitely see why people call this dark and gothic, reminds me of a cold funeral home with candles lit and flowers all around. Projection is really strong and I could see this being really headache inducing during the warmer months. Smells super sophisticated I feel like I must dress the part while wearing this. 10/10!

The signature scent of both my boyfriend and myself. Totally unisex sexy nag champa. This is the scent that taught me the pleasure of wearing and en joying a scent for myself, on myself. It lingers all day long and I love smelling it on my skin. Definitely heavier and more suitable for fall/winter/night. I love the incense hippie metaphysical store vibe, it makes me feel like a goth witch. An indulgence.

The first blast is a cold dry rose over leather as stiff as poker-table chairs. Add bitter moss, aldehydes sharp as soap flakes, and you get something that really comes close to a barracks bathroom (oddly, it works). Hours later it turns resinous and dusty, like opening a cardboard incense box after the sticks are gone. Pepper rattles in the background. It’s superb: Nag Champa in a leather jacket.

It’s mesmerizing. Diabolical, biblical, and so divine. Like a 200-years old wooden church filled with leather books and incenses. It’s surrounded by demons who are covered with tar, but they can’t enter. And you can smell them far away. Definitely not for those who prefer “fast” scents. Give it time. It lasts more than 20-24 hours on the skin and will show you its magic of “nothingness”.

THE MOST photorealistic incense scent out there, along with the Intense version, and I’ve sampled a bunch of incense scents. This one is not a churchy frankincense, but exactly like an unburnt Nag Champa stick, with a bit of soapy note that they have. Definitely not for everyone, but if you want to smell like an incense stick - look no further.

I understand people not liking this but it is an amalgam of some of my favorite weird smells. The noxious first spray smells like the brown soap that tattoo artists use during sessions. It dries down to a beautiful, cozy chypre and finally as a skin scent becomes nag champa and old books. I wear this for myself because it represents me.

Rien smells like an old horse leather saddle that has been sitting in a barn for some years. Very strong "sweaty" leather with incense. This is a fragrance for inwardly courageous people, free spirits. Tough, londlasting, persistent. It's easy to hate it or love it. According to circumstances... According to the sentiment...