Power

Kenzo is a house that I have just recently started to check out, and in general: I really like almost all of what I have tried. Power is different from anything else I have smelled, and I applaud anything that goes against the norm... This begins with a nice smooth warm mix of powdery spices. I am trying this in the middle of Winter, and it seems a good choice for cold days; despite the fact it has some citrus. It does not come off too sharp or like a spice cupboard, more like a spicy sachet or nice chai. Bergamot keeps it clean and the corriander and cardamom add some smooth and dry floral spiciness. There is something vaguely fruity here (mirabelles?), and also something creamy. Another website mentions: tolu balsam, cedar and labdanum...but I get only a light woodiness and a very slight sweet resinousness, but it is not overly oriental. No actual flowers are listed, although corriander blossoms are called davana in some regions. I get nothing even remotely like "lipstick" here, (maybe a high quality organic lip balm, but that is really oversimplifying!) and find this to be no more feminine than any of the other "refined" men's scents on the market. As far as the question: How "should" a man smell? Well,however he wants, as long as he smells good and this does! Olivier Polge has done a very good job here, and this is a very nice counterpart to Flower, and a bit softer than Dior Homme. The flacon is stunning and a piece of art! Sillage: okay Longevity: good Overall: 3.5/5 This does go well on a woman's skin too! My mom applied some from my sample, and it was bright and more citrusy on her; where it was a bit creamier, and slightly spicier on me. All in all, a really nice fragrance...worth having and wearing for the fragrance and the bottle is worth saving, even if it is empty! Perfect for fall or winter, but also would be a nice spring scent for evenings. I do not think it would do as well in summer.

Although many may not find this concoction appealing for winter, it is the best moment to get the full potential of Kenzo Power. Wearing it around springtime, closest you can get into depth of the fragrance is the balsamic, rather heavier and powdery quality, pretty much resembling smell you can sniff from opposite sex after using any female conditioner, hairspray or body lotion. That being said, Kenzo Power projects boldly, not continuously, but with the full blast from the very start, slowly, very slowly setting down to silky, soft freshness. However, temperature is the key here. As aforementioned, grab it by the wintertime and you will realize how perfectly all the tones play the harmonies. Complementary spiciness of coriander blends finely with zesty bergamot. Balsamic base is supported with woody accords and that floral heart, cloying in hotter days, is all of sudden light, fragrant and subtle. Once a cool breeze or even a strong wind blow on your walk, you ́ll be instantly swept by the refreshing, warm and coke-like aura of the fragrance. Fear not, if you feel this powdery aspect could cause you headache or nervousness. Just experiment with the weather conditions. No need to layer it with anything else whatsoever. Definitely not with body milk or any citrusy double. The best comes when it is by itself. And while Power is out of production, your flacon should be saved wiser for special occasion, say when you feel in mood to cheer up long cold evenings or go to some private matinee with bunch of friends. Don ́t overspritz yourself though or you lose the identity both of yourself and fragrance at the same time. One spritz directly on the skin is adequate enough, economic and effective, too. If you decide on purchase, you won ́t be disappointed, nor deceived from your expectations. Sophisticated, tender yet invigorating.

Probably the best purchase I made last year. I have to say it is not a fragrance that would appeal to most men due to its floral cords but it is not that strong on floral either. Citrussy is gone within minutes and leaves behind what I think its very well balanced, the coriander and cardamom. Both strong components play a good strong part once the florals have settled down (which don’t take long). Cords of which are used in south asian tea. It is a unusual mix in a fragrance but I think it works really well together. I remember walking past the Kenzo section and seeing this bottle. From the face I couldn’t figure out whether it was for men or women. Even the name Power didn’t help neither. After spraying it on skin I was still lost on who this is for. It is truly unisex and yes I think women can easily use this one without any issues but I think it takes a confident man to pull this off. It is good to see that it is not liked by many guys due to its feminine floral nature so if you do want to stand out from the rest, take the risk. The bottles shape is unusual bullet platinum container type and material is slightly annoying because you don’t actually know how much is remaining. Having said that, from my range that shows transparent juice, this bottle stands out with it’s heavy coated facade which aids its mysterious essence. Personally I find the bottle represents it’s contents. This fragrance I find lasts longer on clothes than on skin but when it is on skin the clothes that touch that part of skin will smell of the fragrance. I gave my scarf to my girlfriend on a cold evening out and she couldn’t stop inhaling the fragrance transported from my neck to my scarf. All in all, a great fragrance worth buying

I think that this one got discontinued. It is no longer on Kenzo website and it is hard to find it online. The funny thing is that it had also disappeared sometime before 2013 and came back circa 2017 but a bit reformulated. I first encountered Kenzo (flower) Power - yes, there is a flower drawing hidden between the words Kenzo and Power - when I got a free sample with another purchase nearly a decade ago. I stumbled upon the sample a few years later - it was forgotten with some other samples in a box - and I fell in love with it! It was a bit hard to find it because it was no longer available at retail stores, so I had to try to find it online. I can see why this one was never popular, florals for men are hard to promote and men are afraid to wear something like that, in order not to smell like "girls". Especially nowadays when Savauge and Aventus sell like crazy and everyone wants to smell like that, I can understand the reason why this is probably discontinued. For me perfumes have no gender and everyone should wear whatever they like. I always wear the perfumes in order to feel nice and confident and I don't give a damn what others may think. The truth is that Kenzo Power is actually a niche release, a very brave move for Kenzo to release such a scent back in 2008. I can see anyone wearing this and feel confident, I always say that in the dry down I detect elements of the original Dior Homme, the perfumer is the same actually. There are lots of florals in the opening, together with Bergamot and Cardamon. Longevity and projection is good. I also have to say that I absolutely love the bottle, which was actually inspired by a sake drink bottle.

A flower for men. A fragrance true to Kenzo. A new fragrance for men, simple and striking. Sensitive and masculine. A fragrance of opposites, the essence of Kenzo. Kenzopower. The power of a flower. A wild, lively, poetic tulip, pencil led in black. Weaving its way through the letters of Kenzo and Power, to insuff late its sensitive strength. A flower with its own mind. Mirrored metal. Simple curves. Pure lines, a call to silence. Originally a sake bottle, created by Kenya Hara for Masuichi Ichimura, It became a fragrance flask, signed. Right at the base, to allow “empty space” to take its place. A very Japanese approach. Refinement, obvious strength without ostentation. Kenya Hara lives in Tokyo. A gentleman of de sign, addict to empty space and precentor of perfection. A lover of paper, too. Kenya Hara speaks of his soul, the life of paper, its feel. The Kenzopower box is white and full of space. In soft, textured paper. A slightly trapeze shape. Ever so slightly. Several indications are engraved, like imprints. The name, the flower, several other words. Plus a hint of purple. The fragrance. An imaginary flower, woody amber. Created by Olivier Polge. With the smile and the unique way of one who knows exactly what he wants. Not a flower in particular, but several. Abstract florality. It is not a rose. Nor a jasmine, or a f eesia . But a sensation. At first, a blend of spices and zest, with a fresh, invigorating impact. At last, woody and amber notes, enveloping and manly. Bergamot, coriander, cardamom, an abstract floral heart, tolu balm, cedar wood and labdanum. Noble ingredients.