Faux Semblant

Faux Semblant Givenchy Lovely Simplistically Made Bottle. Got attracted to by the notes breakdown. Found a bottle for a good price (made a lower bargain offer and buyer accepted after 2 weeks). Blind bought. On first test 2-3 sprays. I get the quality of the juice. Something tickles my nose a little with a sneeze or two, unsure what, wasn't bothered. Can feel good projection and good silage as I'm getting it strong. Today 7am full wear. Dare not overspray. Still a good amount, forehand, wrist, inner and outer arm, both sides of neck, back and front neck and clothes and pants. This is a Very Rich and Luxurious scent. Opening has incense but it's more than a support note. Angelica also support note. The prominent note is the intensive smelling orange blossom absolute. Don't go sniffing that too close as it tickles the nose buds. You definitely can get the honeyed note alongside the orange blossom. Incense+Angelica+morrocan orange blossom absolute+provencal honey. What does it gets you. A very rich luxury mature scent. May be challenging for less experienced noses. Kinda dirty, funky, earthy, seems like there's also patchouli in it. On drydown or as the heart shows itself, you get the Malayan oud and Australian white sandalwood coming in. Making this scent a polarizing scent, nice development. Initial thoughts on something with similar vibe is Jub25 but it's different. This is much more aromatic and quality. A very well made, luxury scent for a mature man looking for both formal and informal settings. I'm already liking this alot and will definitely wear this alot more

A remarkable - and challenging - scent. It's a sort of skanky floral. It opens with a burst of neroli/orange blossom, but other white flowers too, I'd say. It's initial behaviour reminded me of the aldehydic, floral joy of applying Lanvin Arpège (6'3",200lb guy here). I wasn't expecting that at all. It's not like the neroli found in countless men's classics, like 4711 or AdP Colonia (and its modern developments...). So...a slightly "femme" play on a trad "masc" scent which shocked at first, then satisfied. Then comes the big amber "fug", of incense, patchouli, leather (labdanum, I presume). This part of the scent behaves a bit like a vintage animalic, with real skank to it - which is 100% a compliment, by the way. It doesn't smell strictly alike any of these scents, but it's behaviour reminded me of Givenchy Gentleman (the still-in-production 1974 legend, not the modern iris bombs), Bal à Versailles, or Antaeus. I absolutely love it, but I can see that it might be a bit much for someone unfamiliar with vintage. Alternatively, it could be a doorway for them into perfume history... The nose for this is not listed, but it feels very "authored". It definitely was NOT the product of a marketing focus group.

My second favorite Amber. First being Dubai Amber. Don’t let the notes fool you, this is perhaps one of the most COMPLEX fragrance I’ve smelled. Whoever did this, DID this. All the notes are harmoniously blended to a point where no one note is doing the heavy lifting here. If i had to pick 4 notes that make me appreciate this the most, i would say: labdanum, honey, oud and sandalwood. That’s not to say the angelica and orange blossom and all the others aren’t front and center either. Those 4 are just what makes me appreciate this. Out of the ones I’ve smelled from this line, this is my favorite. What made me purchase this is i was looking for a more opulent and upscale version of Jasmin Exclusif. And although i see the link that made some concur that this smells similar to it (powerful white floral, patch, labdanum, oud, sandalwood...), this is TOTALLY unique. Although, i appreciate them both. That’s my two cents.

A follow up to my review below... I bought the Perfume Parlour dupe of this to have a small travel bottle. It's a very good copy! It is more straightforwardly wearable than the original - I think I might even prefer it. The PP version is less thick, heavy, sticky somehow, and thereby becomes more of an obvious "easy pleasure" to wear. This takes nothing away from the original, which is really an artwork of perfumery.

Wow! This perfume is crazy! There's a lot happening here. It's bold and you can certainly smell the floral aspects, but then theres everything else on top of it. I LOVE it, but it's not for everyone. Givenchy knows what they are doing and they are good at it.