Foudroyant

I really do like this. It wasn’t something I was particularly looking for but on a recent trip to Harrods, I was walking through the perfume hall when an assistant sprayed this on a card and it immediately grabbed my attention. It’s a simple fragrance but I also find it very sexy and sophisticated. I get a fresh-spicy (coniferous-camphor) cedar underpinned with amber warmth and a touch of sweetness. I don’t get too much oud in the traditional sense but it is there in the background, providing a slight medicinal touch, with a hint of smoke, that stops the fragrance from being too sweet. I can’t say I find this as powdery as the listed fragrance accords above suggest although there is a dusky softness to it. Rather, it’s a straightforward spicy woody amber with a touch of freshness but executed extremely well. I find it all very well balanced, alluring and masculine. In fact it’s the juxtaposition of the fresh, spicy, dry, warm and sweet elements that I love as I usually find this kind of fragrance too dry or too sweet. The coniferous cedar balances perfectly with the warm amber and although both these accords are in many fragrances I’ve tried, I’ve never smelt them in such good harmony before. It’s kind of formal without being too austere or bold as the touch of coniferous freshness stops it from feeling too serious although it still smells classy. I find it really suave and elegant. I can see why Givenchy reference light and dark in the description because it has elements of both, whilst smelling natural. I’ve since seen Sebastian (Smelling Great) review this on YouTube and after he sprayed it on his hand, his immediate reaction was ‘ooh, now that is nice’ which was my first reaction too! I wore it out that night in London and although it is fairly soft, it lingered all night, creating a sensual scent bubble that kept going and going. Pure class. It is expensive but I think it’s a beautiful fragrance with classy presentation and one that I will get much enjoyment from. I absolutely love this and will wear this on nights out when I want to feel special, although not being particularly dense, it could suit a variety of occasions.

I got the perfume from a Duty-Free airport shop and I am so glad I ventured in trying it. This is a deep, dark, and complex scent that will build a halo around you. I wouldn’t wear it only for special occasions as someone mentioned here. I think this is a perfume that can be worn any day if you choose it as your signature scent. It may be on the heavier side, so if you are a person who loves sweet, happy and fresh scents this one is definitely not for you. The Oud in this perfume is subtle and delicate. Very good for the new Oud lovers. Good for onboarding new people to love the Oud. The projection is great, longevity is great and be careful if you are an oversprayer, this perfume is not supporting this. I sprayed it 5 times the first time and I felt it in my nostrils constantly. When I got into the same room with my husband he was able to smell me from 3 meters away, so be careful!

Es un aroma que me recuerda a lápiz labial, tiene la propiedad extremadamente seca del maquillaje, con un dejo achocolatado pero muy disimulado. Creo que por eso se le presenta como un aroma elegante tal como pasa con Dior Homme Intense. Por otro lado, el aroma contiene un oud pálido y frío, nada retador. Un 10/10.

Another top tier fragrance from Givenchy to add alongside noctambule from the same line. Beautifully blended and cedar is my favourite note in more masculine leaning scents like this. The oud is in the background rather than centre stage and there’s a sweet almost smokey quality to it overall. Love!

This scent is beautiful. It has a strong amber quality with lush vanilla and labdanum coming through; there’s a wonderful oud at the base and a resinous, balsamic woodsy note that is sharp and delicious. I really, really love this.