1885 Bains Sulfureux

I have only tested this once so far, but I'm very impressed by the skilful combination of citrus top notes with incense/benzoin base notes - an uncommon alliance and a very successful one in this instance. I must say that I would not characterise it as an amber fragrance though. Edit: After a couple more wears, I have since purchased a 100ml bottle of this for less than half price from a retailer who is retiring the Bains Guerbois collection. It is so unique that I felt I had to get a bottle. What I love about this perfume is the way incense has been combined with herbal notes, especially that rosemary (which is probably my favourite aspect of the fragrance) and - yes - hints of amber, which is an unusual combination and one which is certainly pulled off. Opens very aromatic; rosemary/citrus (more rosemary than citrus on subsequent tries) with a hint of something which smells somewhat like steam - definitely reminiscent of the 'baths' of the name. A slightly humid and moist smell. Develops quite slowly, with the incense notes coming through with time. I do get a hint of amber but still not much - an amber fragrance that is not ambery. As a lover of incense and aromatics, this is a great scent for me, but I do think it is probably overpriced - although it is unique. Curious now to try other perfumes by this nose.

Sulfureux is the epitome of cool, effortless French perfumery. You get aromatics and citruses first, followed by a hint of smokiness on a light resinous base. The notes build up into a light and relaxed spa-like experience. The perfume has a balanced interplay of cold and warm facets in a very wearable way that never becomes overwhelming. Basically its a modern amber fougere structure with a smoky incense twist that works well in any weather. More masculine-leaning in my opinion, but ladies can definitely pull this off with confidence. A good signature perfume for a historic company. Has a surprisingly strong presence and longevity.

I love it so much! It is like a bit of church in the bottle... That glorious atmosphere of something sacred and pure, rosemary with incense, smells soooo good. It doesn't seem like anything else; you need to try it. I bought this after meeting with 1900 Prust when the girl in the perfume shop made a mistake and switched two blotters, so I bought that perfume with black tea and pomelo, which is also gorgeous, but I couldn't sleep until I decided to read everything from Le Bains Guerbois and find that beautiful scent of victory. I feel like I wear a laurel wreath in the time of Roman Empire. Gorgeous feeling. )))

A spiky, herbaceous and incense-y, ambery resin delight. A little bit head shop, a little bit churchy; a lot patchouli and labdanum. Takes me back to the nineties and grunge. Cool not warm, laid back, and quietly hippie chic. I will rock this next fall in flannel and cable-knit sweater season, with worn out jeans and leather boots, or suede Birkenstock London with thick wool socks. A love from me!

Rosemary and jasmine prominent in the opening with orange. Settles as musk, incense, and vanilla. Soft, gentle, easy. Wears very close to the skin. (The rosemary is interesting and quite striking...with an effervescent vitality.) This is unisex. Dignified. Introspective. Beautiful.

Extremely pleasant amber fougère. Light and subtle. Perfect on clean skin. In another life, it would be Penhaligon’s. I bought it. Probably my favorite acquisition of the year. Cashmeran-centric. Blend with Voyage d'Hermès for an expert-level experience.

A herbal amber fragrance. Made in France, fresh, 100% unisex. I can smell rosemary, mandarin, labdanum, amber with a small touch of tonka and incense. Rosemary is the star of the perfume, a fresh and natural rosemary. It is really a "spa in a bottle", with a little hippie vibe. Perfect for the week-end, for all seasons. 8/10 "Climb the front steps and enter the Bains Guerbois. This is Paris, 1885. The newly opened temple of well-being and beauty emanates fragrances of flowers, plants and herbs. The scent of an evocative concoction blending bergamot, jasmin, rosemary and mandarin wafts from the Turkish and Russian baths. The very air of the establishment is full of a thousand essences of tolu, labdanum, tonka, benzoin, incense and musk. Enchantment and release for body and spirit." --> In this brand, I really like: - for spring and summer: 2018 Roxo Tonic (bergamote and neroli, 8/10) and 1979 New Wave (mint and orris, 9/10) - for fall and winter: 1885 Sulfureux (rosemary, mandarin and amber, 8/10), 1986 Eclectique (oak moss, honey and tobacco; 9/10) and 1978 Les Bains Douches (yuzu, whiskey and tobacco; 9/10)

An opening made of benzoin. Then a vintage side that makes me fear aldehydes sets in before leaving almost immediately. Rosemary then makes its entrance bringing a little green/medicinal side and, to finish, a light spicy or even 'incensy' side envelops everything. A perfume for both men and women but which, in my opinion, leans more towards the masculine; for my part I find these Bains Sulfureux very pleasant. It's an amber, smoky, spicy rosemary, not really 'ointment', not really green, a bit oriental but not totally either; a fair mix. The medicinal side is undeniable but, for my part, very far from a retirement home. In fact, the first thing I thought of was the Abbey of Montserrat; green as far as the eye can see and the smell of incense wafting here and there. @alexkorchevski talks about a 'sacred and pure' atmosphere, that's exactly it. It reminds me of a men's perfume that I know but unfortunately I can't put my finger on it. Very pretty, very pleasant and very soft, I personally like these 'Bains'.

I was sort of hoping that some release from Les Bains Guerbois would reel me in as I love their concept and presentation, but it doesn't look like that's happening any time soon. Sulfureux has a striking name, for sure, but expect nothing left field here: this is a pleasant and measured aromatic. It's been done before, done very much like this, but I do love the interaction between rosemary and citrus—there is something so winsome and gratifying about it. This warms into a beautiful, if somewhat staid amber, quite forward on benzoin, because after all, its far more accessible than a large hunk of labdanum. It is incens-y/olibanum-y, but it serves as more of a glaze of sorts than something that unfolds into center stage. I kind of wish it did, because a slight tweak like that would make this all the more interesting. I am getting echoes of the classic Minotaur as well. Not bad, not bad at all—just not exactly riveting.

This a lovely, well blended scent, if not slightly boring. the opening is all rosemary herbaceousness with a slight citrus lifting it. the florals are harder to decipher, but help round out the fragrance. after about 5 minutes, the incense comes through, but it is not overpowering. the dry down is coumarin, sandalwood, and benzoin, leaving subtle sweetness and creamy warmth on the skin. It has medium projection and lasts about 4-5 hours before fading into a skin scent. Not my favorite from this house, and probably not worth the price tag, but it is very versatile (all seasons, including summer nights) and would be a safe blind buy for someone looking at the notes listed here.

Nice mix of aromatic herbs and piny woods layered with some “steamed” and slightly soapy patchouli. That definitely smells like a wooden sauna, but also has a touch of sweetness and some dark twist as well. I love, but this soapy note is slightly disturbing. Follow me on IG: scent.guide

I'm testing Les Bains Guerbois blind and haven't looked up anything about the brand or the fragrances. 1885 Bains Sulfureux opens up musky and sweet with elements of aromatics and citrus and powder with a somewhat sticky feel to the skin. The citrus is on the tart side, balancing out some of the sweetness, maybe grapefruit or yuzu, but I also sometimes just get orange. After its initial opening I get a bit more smokey or leathery notes coming through, but it is slight. The memory of those marshmallow circus peanut sweets I've experienced in other fragrances also appears here, but more in the background. On the surface it's a sweet musk with some familiar candy like fantasy underneath. An hour later and things are more calm, but the sweetness remains. Four hours later and there's a more resinous sweet character with its previous character still echoing. Looking at the name and notes now, I am surprised there's not quintessential sweet notes, but it is generally amber, citrus and because of the herbs, aromatic. While others seem to suggest a moderate incense note, I don't experience that interpretation. While there is something in the fragrance I find delightful, and it is fun and playful, conjuring up images of campy cosplay girls wearing this, it's overall sweetness and bubble gum personality (not notes) is too much. If it wasn't for the quality of the sweetness and other layered notes itself I'd assume it is a cheap dim-store fragrance. Overall, it is just a bit too cloying. If you like sweet over mature, but still smell of a quality fragrance, I'd say give it a go. I should add I can feel the stickiness of the fragrance to my skin an hour later and this itself is off-putting.

wanted to love this...too feminine to be classified as unisex. perhaps on someone different. there's something slightly...powdery...like milk powder or sweet hot white chocolate mix... slightly funky...

I don't like this. It smells sour somehow, very woody. It's not for women, either. I got a free sample with one of my orders. It's not totally hideous so I will gift it forward to a colleague

Lovely, safe cologne for daily use. The amber dry down is smooth as silk. Smells more expensive than typical amber, perhaps due to the combination of the tonka and sandalwood lingering behind it. Make no mistake, though, the predominate smell you are left with /is/ amber. A slightly less cloying, slightly more interesting amber; but amber nonetheless. Is the juice worth its price for this dry down? Perhaps not. But the bottle is pretty, and the opening... oh, the opening! The opening is by far the backbone of this experience. Soapy/fresh-spicy/powdery sort of thing I really get off on. Similar vibes to Prada Amber Pour Homme, but less astringent and more herbal. Whoever wrote the product copy for this scent hit the nail right on the head: a scent that would stick to your skin after leaving a ritzy bathhouse, dry sauna, etc, etc... it is clean and invigorating, but WARM and “of the body.” Inoffensive. Stylish. Well-blended. Stays close to the skin. Really a perfect take on the “wear everyday” king of scent, but I don’t think I would pay the price for a full bottle.

I don't know how to describe this. I wouldn't call it a classic amber, since this is somehow lighter, more woodier, and fresher. This is much more an aromatic amber (in my opinion barely an 'amber') subtly woody-fresh-spicy. Strangely, I don't get the incense very much. For me, it's very faint. I feel as if all components are subtle. Nothing stands out, making it quite well-blended, but also a little bit boring. Like a bleak fog. It's pretty, but it doesn't tell me anything. To conclude, I think this lacks vision, and intention. It's very nice, but I'm sorry, it's also a bit mediocre in terms of overall composition. At last I want to point out, it's absolutely not bad either. It's strikes some kind of balance. I'm sure some people will enjoy it, but it's not for me.

🛁Gdańsk Bathhouse 🌊 I step into the humid space where steam drifts lazily above heated stone. The air smells of citrus soap, herbs, and something resinous—like pinewood warmed to the edge of vapor. The bath is hot, steeped in rosemary, bergamot, and jasmine, while the steam carries a trace of salt and sea dampness. It’s a place of silence and cleansing—old tiles, linen towels, the soft hiss of water from a copper pipe. Gdańsk, late 19th century—a bustling port city, but here, time feels suspended. It smells like a monastic apothecary, tree bark, and hand-distilled oils. The steam clings to the skin like balm, leaving behind a scent that lingers long after you’ve left the bath. @the.scent.files

Rosemary sour incense. As much as i dig deep into this house, i just get more surprised of how perfect the blending technique they do! Their blends so far are smoothly put and yet it's the 3rd blend so far! The sweet incense is memorizing with that rosemary, and benzoin with the tingly hint of tonka and the sweet effect of the mandarin. The orange blossom is presented here in a very sweet touch (not cloying), The black current is quite visible when it cools down. This can't be like the cologne version! They never identical! to me, this is very interesting blend indeed. Cute.

I get citrus over labdanum, mostly, the other notes being faint and not presenting enough to be identified. Dries down to very sweet labdanum with almost nothing else going on. I love labdanum, but this is so sticky sweet that I scrubbed. After that, I got a much better combination of citrus, rosemary and soft woods over labdanum. So scrubbing didn’t work well, but did give me a much better fragrance on my wrist. Lasts really well.

Very incense heavy, a little too much for my liking. The comment below saying "This is how I want my house to smell like, not my skin" hits the nail on the head with this fragrance. Defintely not a blind buy whatsoever. Without the incense and rosemary notes being as over bearing as they are, this might've been a lovely fragrance.