The Dark Side

HOW CAN ONE NOT LIKE THIS SCARY PERFUME? Francesca Bianchi creates amazing perfumes. I like all of the ones I have tried so far, but my favourite is the mysterious, spicy and resinous Dark Side. I remember when I first tried it a long time ago when "The Dark Side" literally scared me! It has an amazing longevity, making one believe that the "suffering" will never end. I couldn't get it out of my head for a long time. It smells like an odyssey to the underworld. Knowing Francesca, you'd never suspect that such an angelic, ethereal creature could create such erotic intensity through scent. But she can, and she does! She doesn't just create perfumes... She creates a tangible, vivid atmosphere mixed with emotions and desires. The Dark Side is one of the first three perfumes commercially produced by Francesca's own brand. In my opinion, even though all of her works have their own inner magic, the first three perfumes still contain the almost untamed power of her passion. Francesca's personal preference lies with oriental perfumes. Spices, woods, resins and copious amounts of sensual black honey have been thrown into The Dark Side. The Dark Side is intended as an homage to Marrakesh and Morocco. If you have ever got lost in a large medina maze, you probably already have experienced the frills inspired by The Dark Side. Morocco's mystical markets in its imperial cities are filled with hypnotic scents and fragrances. The dark alleys lead your imagination into a mysterious nowhere. And so does this perfume as well. It is arguably the darkest and most multifaceted scent of her collection. The fragrance pyramid may be a small warning on what to expect from this scent. The Dark Side is hypnotic, seductive, stuffy, sultry, and dirty-sweet. On her website, Francesca reveals that the idea for this fragrance began in Marrakesh, her Moroccan favorite city that she visited several times and always returned with many wonderfully fake oils, fragrant stones, incense resins, carpets, swords, and other useless but important objects. Inspired by a Moroccan oud imitation, she then attempted to create her own base at home, creating a sticky-sweet, woody, smoky, oriental stuff that she called 'My Oud.' This later became 'Into Darkness' and finally 'The Dark Side. It's a completely different level and form of oud and a different picture of an Oriental perfume. It's the dark and forbidden side of a medina alley that is proposed as an olfactory journey. The fragrance opens with an overload of resins and spices. Then honey comes across both animalistic and dirty-sweet. Violet and iris add a powdery mist to this dark olfactory interplay. Swirls of incense help to create thea fearing established mood. It takes a while for the honey to clear this somber clouds and make way for the vanilla to rise and shine. The Dark Side is a true witch's potion. It is sensual and dark enough for any gloomy scents lover to devellop a passion for it. This perfume is no exception. Arguably, it is the darkest and most multifaceted scent in her collection. The fragrance pyramid offers a sneak preview of what to expect from this perfume. The Dark Side is hypnotic, seductive, heady, sultry and sweetly dirty. On her website, Francesca reveals that she was inspired to create this fragrance during her visits to Marrakesh, her favourite city in Morocco. She would always return home with wonderful fake oils, fragrant stones, incense resins, carpets, swords and other useless yet important objects. Inspired by a Moroccan oud imitation, she attempted to create her own base at home, producing a sticky-sweet, woody, smoky oriental concoction that she called 'My Oud'. This later became 'Into Darkness' and finally 'The Dark Side'. It's a completely different form and level of oud, offering a new interpretation of an oriental perfume. It's the dark, forbidden side of a medina alleyway, offering an olfactory journey. The fragrance opens with an overload of resins and spices. Then the honey is both animalistic and dirty-sweet. Violet and iris add a powdery mist to this dark olfactory interplay. Swirls of incense help establish the mood. It takes a while for the honey to clear these sombre clouds and allow the vanilla to rise and shine. The Dark Side is a true witch's brew. It is sensual and dark enough to make any lover of gloomy scents develop a passion for it. MY OPINION: I am a sucker for dark scents. This one is just amazing. Despite being a perfume for connoisseurs and not for the masses, the price is very attractive. I can only recommend this perfume. MUSIC: 'Cette nuit restera éternelle' from the musical 'Le Bal des Vampires', created by Roman Polanski. (published in: https://www.facebook.com/groups/733041855168347)

a brilliantly multi-phased, kaleidoscopic trip through ambers, resins, purple florals and woods that could be two or three entirely separate scents - and in fact recalls some of my favourites of all time as it unfurls. the opening is a powder blast, a floral and wood din that threatens to lose me. i am admittedly a hard sell on powdery or violet-forward scents, they remind me too strongly of parma violet sweets and i find myself oft repulsed prima facie. if you have more time for violet and iris hits then this will likely be wonderful to you: the incense and spice notes play a brilliant counterpoint, racing in where the natural ebb and flow of the florals takes the violet out, while the honey/styrax/amber/sandalwood base gives plenty of syrupy, almost earthy grounding and prevents the fragrance becoming entirely heady. it's no surprise FB knows how to balance a powder-heavy scent, she does it time and time again across her oeuvre, and this may be among her best (though, as detailed above, i am more of a witness to than sharer in her devotion to these accords). the mercurial drydown begins as the violet and iris recede almost entirely, leaving us with an almost carnation-esque accord that burns with earthy spice, flanked by that syrupy-woody-earthy juggernaut of an accord. it approaches pure amber but manoeuvres around it, skipping deftly over the trap so many scents that try their hand at amber fall into as they let it become sickly sweet and unbearably cloying. i imagine some of that deftness is attributable to the spicy floral accord previously detailed, but undoubtedly the sweeter side of the composition is in and of itself wise enough to know better. it begins, now, to oscillate wildly between impressions of two favourites of mine in a way that completely caught me off guard. I had never drawn linkages between the scents i was primarily reminded of up until this point and I can only thank FB for her revelatory work here. first, the carnation accord began to remind me of perhaps the best perfume of this year, hiram green 'philtre', in a way that was elucidating for both scents. the bubblegum sex magick of 'philtre' is sharper (I postulate that this is a result of black pepper being the sole spice in philtre, while dark side has a veritable shop-front array that translates far earthier) and greener than anything here, but the quality vetiver note that emerges in 'the dark side' circa hour 3-4 has a greenery-aligned edge that approximates the beautiful use of flower stems in the former. ever the restless beast, however, 'dark side' then reveals further nuances, approaching one of my favourite scents ever composed in slumberhouse 'ore'. it reveals a chocolatey facet (perhaps this is the titular 'dark side') that becomes syrupy-boozy as a scant whiff of patchouli fills out the scene, dancing around the rum-and-dark-choc DNA that makes 'ore' an all-timer for me. a careful vanilla, that has remained quiet and perhaps lost in the amber core of the scent so far, shows face and further solidifies the 'ore' connection while never resting. it then appears to flit between the two - occasionally the spice and the pseudo-green hints would appear again before quickly receding and allowing space. anything that can recall the glory of ore's decadent glow is an intriguing prospect to me, but to be able to do that while offering at least two other compelling appearances is incredible. i dont mean to reduce Bianchi's work to mere imitation, however, as (1) there's no way she could have been aping from philtre as it did not yet exist when this was composed, it is better understood as a happy accident of a sort, and (2) my comparisons should be understood more in the light of drawing parallels between master perfumers (if there is such a thing) rather than making one's work about another. perhaps, in an alternate timeline, i smelled this one prior to philtre or ore capturing my heart, and i might have then dedicated time waxing poetic in the inverse. but that is not so. consider this, then, a glowing review of the three best amber or amber-adjacent niche frags on the market. 'the dark side' is a must-try for any powder-heads or anyone with an eye to quality amber - even more so if you've got the hots for both.

EN If you're looking for a fragrance that truly makes an impression, *The Dark Side* by Francesca Bianchi is a genuine revelation. When you wear it, you're enveloped in a warm wave of honey that perfectly blends with soft, captivating leather notes. It's like wearing a piece of haute couture: elegant, sensual, and capable of making you feel confident. This fragrance is both intriguing and enveloping, thanks to its masterful balance of sweetness, depth, and a smoky hint that enhances its allure. Floral notes like iris and rose add refinement, while incense and dark woods lend a mysterious and seductive aura. *The Dark Side* isn’t just a perfume, it’s an olfactory accessory that enriches the wearer, offering a sense of uniqueness and magnetism. Wearing it means immersing yourself in a luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere, perfect for those who love to stand out. Whether it's for a special evening or moments when you want to feel incredibly refined, *The Dark Side* surrounds you with an irresistible aura of charm. A fragrance to wear with pride, making you feel like the star of any situation. IT Se stai cercando un profumo che possa realmente lasciare il segno, *The Dark Side* di Francesca Bianchi è un’autentica rivelazione. Quando lo indossi, ti avvolge con un’ondata di miele caldo che si fonde perfettamente con note di cuoio morbido e affascinante. È come indossare un capo di alta sartoria: elegante, sensuale e capace di farti sentire sicuro di te. Questa fragranza sa essere sia intrigante che avvolgente, grazie al suo sapiente bilanciamento tra dolcezza, profondità e un accenno fumoso che ne amplifica il fascino. Le note floreali, come l’iris e la rosa, aggiungono raffinatezza, mentre l’incenso e i legni scuri donano un’aura misteriosa e seducente. *The Dark Side* non è solo un profumo, ma un accessorio olfattivo che arricchisce chi lo indossa, regalando un senso di unicità e magnetismo. Indossarlo significa immergersi in un’atmosfera lussuosa e ricercata, perfetta per chi ama distinguersi. Che sia per una serata speciale o per quei momenti in cui vuoi sentirti incredibilmente raffinato, *The Dark Side* ti accompagna con un’aura di fascino irresistibile. Una fragranza da indossare con orgoglio, che ti farà sentire protagonista di ogni situazione.

I do not understand what happened... When I got the sample pack from Francesca, I immediately adored Angel's Dust and Sex and the Sea, but when I smelled The Dark Side, I was dismissive. Oudh, eeeeek...I hate oudh. But there is no oudh among the notes! And actually no oudh in TDS, just the illusion, the ghost of it. Still, I thought, I cannot abide even the ghost of my nemesis of perfume ingredients. Days passed, and one evening, working on my computer, I wanted to spray a drop of S&tS on my arm to enjoy the glory. However, by mistake I spayed TDS. I was slightly annoyed, but not enough to go and scrub right away. And then....WHAT IS THIS OTHERWORLDY AMAZING VIOLET-EARTHY-POWDERY,EMBRACING, WARM BEAUTY??? I was totally stopped in my stride and could not for my life imagine what was wrong with me before! In my nose there was THE PERFECT autumn fragrance I was looking for. I love violet in every shape or form, but when it is paired with iris and earthy, balmy notes, it is at its best. I totally agree with steveniox, it reminds me of a dense, damp forest with violets, but drenched in honey coloured sunlight, maybe at sunset. The reviewers before me wonderfully described the evolution of notes, so I am not going into details. What I would like to add is that all three of Francesca's perfumes - althought substantially different - clearly have the "Bianchi DNA", her unique fingerprint on them. All are "personal", "human", intimate and to me extremely cosy. I rarely have felt such deep affinity with perfumes, they are just "me". When I am wearing them, some knot deep inside me gets undone and I feel relaxed, safe and settled. In the centre. At peace with myself and the world. If I was a queen of Perfumia, I would respectfully invite Francesca to be my Royal Perfumer and I would grant her highest nobility and richess. Thank you, Lady Francesca! Looking forward for more of your work!

From the first scent i was like "wait, is that a Sheldrake composition?" It doesn't seem to be the case, but someone have learned their best lessons from his compositions in order to create this. The opening of this fragrance is a book called "All about the Violet Leaf". Fresh, cool, green, incredibly photorealistic sensation of a freshly mowed lawn. Not long into the opening, you start to sense the strong backing the violet leaf receives from the resins, powdery flowers, the combination between them turning almost spicy. Honeyed amber melting and mellowing down the sharper notes come into play, this is where a lot of people draw parallels with Chergui, but major differences - no tobacco leaf, instead you have the fresh green violet leaf, and the incense in Chergui is very prominent, and while it being listed in The Dark Side, at least i cant get any smokey, metallic vibes from it. In contrast Chergui comes of as cold, metallic and smokey, as a nice freshly put out cigar, while this one is like a dark herbal tea with honey. Developing through the drydown, no the violet leaf no longer dominates the scent, and the woody qualities come out to play with the balsamic resin and honeyed vanillic notes. But unlike many fragrances in the same family, this one albeit it mellows down, does not disappear into a skin scent, it stays very present - being an extrait de parfum surely helps there. A fragrance creation that understands perfumery as an art form. Francesca Bianchi's are quite difficult to find in my country, so that being my first step into her house, i can say it matched my already high expectations and some more. Can't wait for the next step in that journey.