Horla

Enjoyed the sample of this enough to buy a bottle. I wanted something that would create memories for my wedding, and this fragrance is unique and delightful. When my fiancee and I got together I'd always wear Chanel No.5, and this was recommended to me as something that kind of evokes the ghost of that while being very different and containing the woody notes I prefer now. I have to say, I don't totally see the Chanel comparison but I love how it opens with strong aldehydic florals and how it develops into something much sweeter, almost spicy, a cup of tea with milk. It's going to be perfect for my wedding day; the journey it takes me on reminds me of the journey from fresh young love to a sexier, mature commitment. EDIT: After wearing this all summer I don't think I praised it nearly enough. This really is a masterful perfume. It's truly romantic and delightful and feels, honestly, like a modern classic.

So I just got my FB of Horla. It has to be one of the most unique scents. Which is expected of January Scent Project. It starts out with the clear lime opening and then becomes something that I haven't experienced before. It is somewhat airy I assume due to the aldehydes and the milk and almond and bay leaf add up to a total that is quite enjoyable. Is it a freshie? Kind of. Is it an oriental? Definitely not. The patchouli and the spice and the castoreum support the heart of milk and almond. It is not nearly as "butter" as Selperniku. I'm not sure I even get "milk" here as a note. This is to me not gourmand at all. I think it will take several more wearings but I highly recommend you try it if you enjoy unique offerings that are not built around the typical notes. This is really a breath of fresh air.

typical of JSP very complex and a bit weird but wearable not conceptual; this one is a lovely floral that dances with sharp herbal elements but is a powerhouse; it's sweet yet bitter; this went on with aldehydes and ylang out of the gate that almost turned into tuberose territory then the huge bay leaf with a little vetiver and nutmeg swept in; finally, it ends up with the floral, nutmeg and bay in harmony; not for the faint of heart or those who do not like intense yellow florals that have a powdery aspect mixed with intense and astringent herbal elements but faded very very quickly so I downgraded from love to like and probably will not buy a bottle. For the price I would expect it to last longer than an hour coming out of the gate like it did.

After reading the article about it on here, I got myself a small bottle of Horla (and Smolderose). The initial spritz is super strong...a huge blast of aldehydes and ylang ylang. There is something very familiar about it and very clean, soap-like. It reminds me of the colognes or floral waters found in botanicas. On my skin, it quickly turns creamy with a hint of spice and just slightly sweet. It pretty much stays this way, but I also get wafts of something herbal and green, the bay leaf or patchouli perhaps. Horla lasts a long time. It is comforting, but at the same time has an otherworldly quality about it. I think this will be a perfect fall-weather scent...beautiful stuff. Also, I loved the packaging/presentation.

Fresh and sharp resin, like soapy incense, my new favorite of the set- it's so well balanced and smells great on my skin; I'm looking forward to buying a full size. Since I haven't said it yet: the JSP sample set is well worth it- the frags are all complex and interesting, and the set comes with some beautiful prints with the notes listed on them. It's really thoughtfully crafted and I strongly recommend.