Oriental Velours

Oriental Velvet is a case study in textures, but it's a study of 3D, not a 2D texture you palpate. Whether or not this smells the way velvet feels is going to be a purely subjective abstraction determined by the wearer and the abilities of their nose, but I have to say that I'm convinced. When I see and feel velvet, there is a density to it that barely lets any light come through. The density also brings a shine to it, as the light that cannot penetrate bounces off of the rich color of the tightly woven fabric more than something like cotton or linen; it's silken in that way. Speaking of silk, there is a very plush feel to velvet that makes you want to caress it and find the gaps, but you never do because it always feels seamless and without any palpable edges or fibers. Despite its density, it is lighter in weight but without feeling fleeting. Unlike silk that can drape over you in a near weightless way to an extent you might not even notice it, there is body and weight to velvet that imparts the texture of the silk but with a swaddling comfort. Over the top of the perfume - and I do mean over the top, a couple feet away from the skin you applied it to - there is a sheen in the air of an absolutely gorgeous jasmine note. The typical whiteness of jasmine is here more radiantly golden in color, a gentle orange sun reflecting off of it, and in lacking that crisp floral-citrus whiteness we are used to it is, instead, beautifully indolic and musky. Below this golden and radiant sheen swirls a thicker and denser layer of cool myrrh smoke and vetiver aromatics, perfectly balanced between green and resinous, rooty/woody notes, and incense smoke. As if the myrrh and vetiver were gently smoldering in a draft-less room, their smoke hovers in the air occupying the entirety of the space. The jasmine with its beautiful light-filled sheen, and the myrrh and the vetiver with their space-filling silken smoke tendrils, work beautifully to give the perfume a smooth, full, and supple texture. Perfectly stitched to the underside of this layer is yet a denser and more seamless layer of balsams and vanilla, giving the whole of the perfume the comforting weight of a luxurious and dense fabric. In the end what we have is a floral amber, and you'll find plenty of examples out there of florals working with green aromatics working with balsams and vanillics. Where Les Indemodables does something different for the genre is by giving us a perfume focused on two aspects often overlooked: texture and detail. In most perfumes these aspects are sacrificed for complexity, longevity, or to squeeze a particular accord into a perfume for the sake of ticking a market-trend box. Les Indemodables and Dubois sacrificed no aspects in creating Velours as far as my nose can tell. The materials are heavenly and decadent, rich yet diffusive, and they are blended to an exceptional level of texture with no detail or space between the notes overlooked. I'm having that involuntary reaction I sometimes get of failing to stop my arms and the backs of my hands from going to my nose at any moment to get one more intoxicating hit. I would be hard pressed to argue against this being the best perfume Les Indemodables has released to date, and that bar was already very high.

Names bear meaning and the key here is in the noun "velours": this is an attempt to re-interpret the oriental fragrance genre. Made in 2016 by @odorescence - I believe - Oriental Velours is thought as "A bewitching sensual fragrance for lovers of rare, high-quality fabrics." (from @les_indemodables_officiel website). The fabrics would connect with the word "velours": a very peculiar, soft and sophisticated scent that envelopes you like the best luxurious garnment. While someone claimed this is a very simple scent, I find that it possesses a strong creative bias. And there is nothing simple in working with the viscosity of myrrh, vetiver, and spruce. The opeing is dominated by a refreshing spruce trully invigorating with some other aromatic notes perhaps. There are very brief moments in which I detect an almost "edible" component which reminds me of Fille en Aiguilles (in my palais version). The use of spruce is genious because it pay homage to the Alps - a defining characteristic of the brand - and build a bridge from West-to-East, so that we can gently be introduced to an enchanted forest dominated by vetiver and myrrh. It is the myrrh note the star of the show: it truly shines here in all its facets: bitter, with all earthy undertones: It is resinous and fungal, medicinal and astringent. I do not get any licorice undertones or cola vibes. The sacred does not smell "pretty"... The myrrh is joined by a cocktail of spices brilliant and with a noticable sensual component. It can be nutmeg and cardamome? I know not. An important part is played by the jasmine wich comes green, freshy, and grassy in concordance with the greenness of the spruce. The jasmine works in synergy with the myrrh to highlight the fungal and earthy aspects, but it also soften the vetiver in a very clever way (like for instance the iris can do only to a lesser degree in Vetiver Oriental by Lutens). I think I detect some smokiness (olibanum?). The vetiver imparts warmths and hearthiness, while the vanilla soften things out. A perfume to defy genre stereotype. please consider following me on IG @alexolympia6

Oriental Velours opens with a strikingly original interplay of myrrh and jasmine, immediately setting a mystical tone. The jasmine here is not your typical floral—it leans into its earthy, almost fungal facets, creating a curious and compelling contrast with the bitter, resinous myrrh. There's a cool, green edge from spruce and mint-like herbs (possibly rosemary or fennel pollen), evoking the sensation of walking through a damp, aromatic forest at dusk. As the fragrance develops, the myrrh deepens, but it never becomes heavy or cloying. Instead, it’s lifted by a textural interplay—a kind of olfactory illusion where dense resins seem to float like mica dust in the air. This is where Oriental Velours truly shines: it’s resinous yet airy, bitter yet soft, with a peppery, smoky fog reminiscent of fireworks or incense smoke. The base is grounded by Haitian vetiver, which adds a damp, earthy richness that complements the myrrh beautifully. The green vanilla from Madagascar lends a subtle sweetness, but it’s never gourmand—more like a whisper of warmth in the background. The overall effect is meditative, mysterious, and texturally complex. - Longevity: 7–9 hours - Projection: Moderate (intimate but noticeable) - Sillage: Soft, with a lingering trail that feels like incense smoke dissipating in cool air Oriental Velours is not a crowd-pleaser in the traditional sense—it’s introspective, cerebral, and quietly powerful. It’s a fragrance for those who appreciate olfactory storytelling, where each note unfolds like a chapter in a mythic forest tale. If you enjoy myrrh-forward compositions with a twist of green, coniferous freshness, this is a must-try. 9 out of 10.

Ah, Oriental Velours. This is a hidden gem. In my own perfume collection, I’ll forget about it for months at a time, but I’ll inevitably come back to it and fall in love all over again. It is undeniably strange and unbalanced, yet I find myself craving it. There is nothing sweet, cozy, or traditional about it, yet it is comforting and easy to wear. It’s a fairly linear composition, the only big moment for me is the opening which is a blast of dry, smoky myrrh. After that opening blast subsides, it hums along steadily for hours, hitting a sweet spot of noticeable projection that is never overpowering or stifling. My association with it is not so much forests or green as others have said. I don’t think of it as green perfume at all. My primary image is of a spice market, in the distance. Perhaps, turning a corner onto an unknown street, you begin to catch whiffs of smoke, cinnamon, saffron, cumin, coriander- just faintly, wafting through pure, dry desert air. You know the market is nearby, maybe a quarter mile away, but you can’t see it yet. So I guess, imagine all the spices and richness of an amber perfume, but from a distance, or through a grayish filter. Everything is subtle suggestion, it intrigues and leads you on, as you inhale deeply, trying to follow these wisps of scent to their source. Underlying all these nuances, myrrh and vetiver are the foundation of this perfume. Vetiver doesn’t always work on my skin but here it really does. It’s not vegetal, rooty or green, more woody and smoky with a delicate papery quality. In the end, Oriental Velours is a sparse, unusual composition that ends up being so much much more than the sum of its parts.

Pay close attention if you are drawn to raw, earthy, bitter, medicinal elements in scent as much as I am. If the smell of mushroomy, astringent myrrh resin with no gussying up or if spruce tips tea delights you, stop right there. Does a walk in the woods appeal to you more than a busy city street? Where are my people who closely examine mounds of moss, marvel at the beauty of fruticose lichens that grow from the boughs of trees? By the way, if you see a lot of that growing, you know that clean air abounds. Oriental Velours (Velours d'Orient) reveals the truth the sacred isn't always pretty, but its smells sure can set one's senses adrift. It opens with the synergy of myrrh and jasmine, both revealing their aromatic as well as fungal aspects, curiouser and curiouser, while all of its voluptuousness collapses dramatically into a spruce thicket (conifer terpenes, wooosh!). It's now the myrrh synergizing with the spruce oil, a beautifully cool bite in the heart, softened only by the slightest vanillic undertones. I get images of an alpine loft in late winter, almost spring, and that stark quiet from the snow dampening all sound, I am just below the treeline. Then there comes some warmth, a hearth is kindled, and this is where the myrrh synergizes with the vetiver. It all comes together like a puzzle, this is the feeling of unadorned nature, a perfume that defiantly resists perfume tropes, but somehow has a coziness and comfort that refutes its apparent initial rough edges. Absolutely brilliant.

This fragrance is DREAMY. Everything from this house is of the highest quality and perfect concepts everytime, from the three I've tried I'm enamoured by all of them. Oriental Velours is probably the most accurately myrrh based fragrance you will find. If you love the raw material then this will excite you. If you love a warm, oriental cuddle of a scent...this will excite you. If you want a smooth musky scent, this one will engage you. I thought it was brilliant. It's not you're usual balsamic either but has nods towards classic oriental perfumes without feeling at all derivative, musk and vanilla/amber sweetness are evoked in the opening before drying down to a more medicinal, herbal myrrh note which is perfectly balanced so it doesn't become too dominant (quite hard when trying to make it stand out but not dominate.) I love this but I think I preferred Musc des Sables for my collection but I'd defintely consider this in future for sure.

Rich incense and amber upfront. Projection is highest here. It is definitely the house Les Ind amber but toned down just a bit from Ambre Supreme. There is a hint of tree sap and then a subtle intermittent waft of gasoline. I don’t find the floral note prominent. I don’t get anything rubbery or medicinal at all. This is spice shop with an old Triumph motorcycle in the corner. Dry down is 10+ hours. I can find it 24 hours after applying. The amber is the star here and it settles down but never leaves. The myrrh and evergreen notes weave in and out. I love Vetiver and have a nose for hit but it’s buried here to me. Les Indemodables is my favorite house for amber. If Ambre Supreme is a *get-noticed* sweaty summer night or gothy winter favorite and Escale En Indonesie is my office friendly Spring Summer amber then this is somewhere in between. All the Les Ind natural amber in mid potency. Lovely stuff. FB worthy.

This fragrance is supposed to represent the texture of velvet, and I can see where that idea comes from. But to me, the texture feels closer to suede - not in terms of smell (this is not a suede fragrance), but in the way it comes across: soft, slightly matte, and a bit more muted than plush velvet. It wasn’t love at first sniff for me. It took some time to really appreciate it, but now I see how good it is. The myrrh is beautiful, but what really stands out is the spruce - it gives it a slightly fresh, almost forest-like twist that makes it different. There’s also vetiver adding a dry, green touch. And yes, this is definitely on the dry side. Not sweet, not crowd-pleasing in an obvious way. More calm, a bit meditative even. I’ve seen people mention it’s relaxing, and I agree.

#694 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This is the seventh scent I'm trying in the set of 12 Les Indemodables samples I purchased. So far every one has been a bottle worthy scent and this is the best so far. The Myrrh here is amazing and blending it with spruce, vetiver and jasmine really gives it some punch. Solidly unisex. 6-8 hours on the skin, moderate projection for a few hours. If you're car pooling or working with others in a close space this could get to be a bit much if you don't go easy. I'd definitely wear this on a romantic occasion. If you've tried and like Montale's Full Incense or All Saints Incense City this will be a winner for you.

So, so, so, so delectable. Myrrh in all its glory. Cold, stoney, medicinal, petrol, Dr. Pepper, fizzy, aldehydic, dark, coniferous, green, bitter, mushroomy, earthy, a ribbon of jasmine woven through, licorice-y, clean, meditative, understated, stylish. 4.5/5 PS: Extremely similar to Myrrhe 55 by Le Labo. The main difference is that Oriental Velours dries down to a warmer, resinous amber; while Myrrhe 55 becomes a slightly oud-y, slightly salty musk.

Total stunner that’s all gooey chocolate caramel, chewy and resinous, but somehow still smooth as silk. Shifts a little herbal and softly liquorice-like, with a hint of vanilla peeking through. Vetiver rolls in quietly at first, like earthy coffee grounds, before going full smoky, sappy and green in the drydown. Hours later, it clings close to skin, caught in a dance-off between green earth and soft myrrh. Neither wins. We do.

This is like being in a cozy blanket that’s been stored in a straw basket in a monastery absorbing all the gorgeous yak butter based resins and incense burnt there. This smells very calming and professionally blended. Reminds of the deep, unsweetened, sappy thickness, and velvety dry down of Enslaved by Roja Parfums. Very nice, and the high quality is obvious throughout the experience.

I love the opening; massive attack of myrrh with backup spruce smelling-like-pine notes. Dry down turns into a powdery amber with dry vanilla pods. This ends up as a wonderful not too sweet amber. If money were not an issue I would not hesitate throwing it down. If you love amber scents, and are looking for something different Oriental Velours might do the trick.

Most interesting textured fragrance I have ever smelled, bright sweet greens over chewy brown with the faintest hint of something floral to smooth it out. Vetiver here is fresh and crisp, keeps the fragrance light. Surprisingly wearable for Les Indemodables's most unique offering.

So far the most interesting of the Les Indemodables line. Intense, myrrh-centered amber with flashes of green. Really intriguing.

Not being discontinued - just less frequent production. Restock in the coming months. (I asked Remi)

(Batch from 2022, blind buy) First Wear (Opening - 1st hour) I think I enjoy this one even more. It starts from Mud & Mushroom with Sweet Green Jasmine. (2nd Hour - 3rd Hour) Before it become very natural incense. Airy and Floaty. It is slightly more herbaceous than Cathedral incense. I think you could you this as one of your witchy fantasy. I don't read this fantasy but.. the way it smell natural. Can't help but the actual portion pot of witch. Solemn. (3rd Hour) The big transit happen. I don't notice this in first impression. But it become like "Lotus". It have a "Lotus" feel to it like the one in Zoologist Scared Scarub. But this is very clean cold water lotus. If something to do with Myrrh and Floral? At 6 hours. it is still linger. And it linger.. as a powdery milky myrrh with soft smoke quality. Very enjoy. I crave another visit. So soon. ===== First Impression (Unknown date record between March - May 2025) At very first glance, when I blind-brought Oreintal Velours. I have already known that Les Indemodables is a quality house. Who produce a fragrance base on high-dose of refine natural material as a canvas. I blind-brought this as I love old-world amber and incense solely. When I open a cap, I feel shock a bit. Because the aroma I perceive is how natural Myrrh behave. It difference from another 3. I visit earlier, Musc des Sables — Rose de Jamal — Ambre Supreme. I fall for how muchroomy and grassy it is. When I first applied, It is Thick. Like it leave a patch of deep brownish oil on my skin. I never try a perfume that leave a dense oil patch on skin like this. It feels so natural. I was thought that Rose de Jamal is natural already. But like, this leans more Artisan-side of thing. A world where people put pure natural to make a fragrance. Compose with really lite touch of aroma chemical. I don’t expect to smell something like this. It's deep dark myrrh for sure. But not like a perfumery dark (a note with Amber Incense like one in TomFord or Xerjoff). But it deep dark dense wet by the Concentrate of Myrrh itself. It becomes Mushroom and Glass with soft dusty. It lightly decorate with amount of vanilla and Jasmin so like to merge in to myrrh and drowning as time pass by. It like these creamy powdery sweetness just right to cover myrrh texture. Aromatic edge and earthy edge is round off the fragrance, but that’s all - that’s is. Scent develop in steady page. As time pass by. Myrrh become soft dusty, smoky lively. Jasmin buried under Myrrh. It walks like Brown slime, groovy chewy gummy on your skin. If you been with natural fragrance. You know how fun it is. Oreintal Velour, walk in slow page not light but not dark either. It’s feel like melt myrrh on your skin. It put in loose structure but firmly round out the edge. I feel esthetic difference.. from Antoine Lee and Florence. While I could 100% Insist you that you can blind buy Antoine Lee’s release. If you use to Commercial Niche for a while. Rose de Jamal, Musc des Sables and Ambre Supreme is top tier Rose, Skin and Patchouli-Amber perfume. Oiginal take from Florence, the first few releases. Yeah, this is something else. Beautiful Fragrance that truly let the nature of material work itself. From aroma from my skin. I can’t read this as incense but more like amber. But compare to La Myrrh. I think more peaceful take. A firm 2 trumps up for me. ===== Oriental Velours (Finalize Review on January 8, 2025) Les Indemodables is a house introduce a new direction for niche market. Aspect of Natural, presented more strongly for the scent raider. Early work of Florence Fouillet Dubois leans more Artisan direction than Later work that feels more Perfumery, familiar for a buyer in perfume market. Well, that didn't be a bad thing but more like what market is able to consume at a time. As now I understand direction of early release follow with later release. Perhaps, Florence Fouillet Dubois still want to introduce the scent as Natural. But pretty and easier to digest, A borderline between Niche and Artisan. Myrrh in this is exceptional and combine beautifully with Natural Jasmine sweetness. And tint of sweet amber vanilla sweetness. well, that something. Artisan user will remains Artisan user but this realm, well this is good enough.

This is such a weird scent. Opens with a sweet, resinous amber thing with bitter botanical facets, then it almost immediately starts losing that sweetness, turning far more camphoraceous. The drydown is an assault of damp, earthy, pungent, dark greens. Not gonna lie, I find this challenging. It kinda reminds me of mushrooms. I don't know if I like it, on one hand, the quality is undeniable, this is a stunningly prismatic, multifaceted perfume, it smells natural, and it still has every bit of that special Les Indemodables quality that makes me feel like I'm being transported into a painting. On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to be a part of said painting, I'm rarely weirded out by a fragrance, and I normally like stuff that's considered a bit out there. I love incense and I love green scents. I've been on the hunt for a dark, earthy forest scent for a while but this really took me by surprise, I don't know if I'm ready for a "fungal amber". I blind bought this because I'm an idiot and because I found it for a ridiculously low price, and this is definitely not something you should do, but it is definitely worth sampling. I will probably do an update once I give it a few proper wears. Update: this grew on me. A lot. I definitely get why this is called “Oriental VELOURS”. This is genius, it’s a real shapeshifter, and it’s worth a lot more than sum of its parts. Despite being comprised out of these naturalistic, coniferous, earthy notes, in the air this turns into a warm, dusty, slightly musty scent that reminds me of what a thick wool blanket smells like when I take it out of storage at the end of summer, but sweeter, richer, more ambery. It almost smells like what cashmeran wishes it could smell like. This is brilliant, but potentially an acquired taste and you really need to give it a proper wearing in order to understand it. I own 2 scents from this house, this one and Ambre Supreme, which was an instant love for me, but I actually ended up preferring this one, it’s just so cool and addictive.

This fragrance has a famous scent profile of the evergreen resinous class. The use of myrrh and spruce gives the earthy, ambry resinous, and woody vibe and this one is in a very natural format. Many of the fragrances I know with this scent profile go in two directions: 1) incense-y mysterious with fresh or warm spice 2) ambry oriental. This fragrance did not go in any of these directions, and by adding vanilla and jasmine, it creates an interesting novel scent. This scent profile creates some contrast between the notes, where you have heavy masculine notes of myrrh and spruce and feminine jasmine notes. It has the shiny floral and delicate character of a jasmin but is not very dominant, and not in the first plot, you should zoom in on the fragrance to see that beauty and details, Like when you zoom in on a painting and discover details in the overall work. It's an interesting artistic type of fragrance, I quite enjoyed that. P.S: This fragrance is based on natural materials. To appreciate or understand a fragrance like this, you should like natural ingredients. Natural essential oils are deep, complex, heavy, and usually medicinal. You can't find high amount of such ingredients in common fragrances, if they use natural materials at all. 8.5/10

Bit of a misnomer here and maybe that's why a lot of people - expecting a conventional oriental - seem disappointed with what they get. "Myrrhe Verde" would be more apt and might draw the attention of the crowd more likely to appreciate it. As for this person here, Oriental Velours is interesting and calming, but works as a bitter reminder that myrrh does not necessarily work well solo. Yes, I know there's vetiver and spruce, but they don't seem to do much imo to highlight the star of the show the way - say - amber materials do for immortelle in Sables. Serge Lutens's glorious La Myrrhe remains the epitome of how to make myrrh shine, not drowning it in the sweet molasses of "supporting" notes that end up overtaking the party.

I have a nice concentrated opening where I capture the velvety oriental texture of factory new fabrics with tons of medicinal myrrh, jasmin and vetiver. Then as it opens I have whiffs of fir and a vanilla that becomes more and more prominent. The chewy mix of myrrh, fir, vanilla reminds me in part of the woody aroma similar to palo santo in a more cosmetic version. In the finish it returns green, raw and partly amber and spicy, with the earthy and dirty side of the vetiver rather accentuated and the vanilla more suffused. A medicinal green oriental amber. Sweet,dusty soft in the long final, but more on the masculine side. Well! Convincing.

Les Indemodables Oriental Velours (2016) - textures of myrrh - Fragrance has textures? #florencedubois shares a masterclass with this myrrh forward perfume. Smokey Incense and fur-like Myrrh is combined with the best Vanilla absolute. I get wafts of powder, yet also a slightly mentholated minty note. There’s also a pine-like accord and herbal quality in the drydown. I can sense the ingredients were also rationalized as it feels like a modern/futuristic oriental. Goes to show if you’ve got mastery on ingredient and have access to the best - no need to show off.

So dark brown and dark green it almost feels black. Incredibly dark, sappy, coniferous to the core, balsamic to its base, resin sodden. I find this very stern and serious and almost reminds me of varnishing a mahogany chest. That gummy, polishy but very dark, tar like feel. A very minimal scent like a handful of the Les Indemodables stuff. @farrque - I can kind of understand the aniseed liquor reference, kind of, but 'tons of deer musk'? Just no. Not only is deer musk not IFRA compliant but I do not smell that whatsoever.

This one has me confused, it has both phases I enjoy and dislike, but let me explain. Beginning is nice floral, sweet vanilla, then comes indole or labdanum, kind of smell that is both attractive and repulsive...similar to using animalic notes in old perfumes, but with a tad more sweetness to it. Not for everyone, do not buy by just smelling the first minute of it, it has not linear development you want to explore.

A delightful balsam quality that is cool yet warm, where gummy myrrh is literally spruced by woody terpenes, rolled in earth and the flirty floral; coniferous, sweetish vetiver, jasmine indole and dry vanilla... Collectively, a dusty green ambery kind that hovers like gorgeous resinous soot of alpine spirits and saplings. Intriguing!

Balsamic myrrh spruce. A fresh coniferous forest smell, green and woody, with a sweet ambery touch and spicy zing. Dries down to primarily myrrh. Like walking through a forest where the trees are just leaking massive amounts of resins. Moderate initial projection pulls in close after ~1hr lasting through ~2hr, longevity 5-7hr.

Definitely a strange one, but its green, minty, and ambery vibe just works tremendously well. The myrrhe is definitely the star of the show, so if you’re a fan of the note this is definitely worth checking out

So it is about time I did some write-ups on some of the Les Indemodables offerings I didn’t find as appealing in my opinion. In all honesty I was expecting to be smitten with Oriental Velours because I am partial to resins and balsamic or piney notes. Where I expected a damp somewhat smooth and aqueous piney-sweet character contrasted with leathery, earthy darker nuances something akin to the genre of Gucci Guilty Absolute or Amouage Interlude Man I was left with something here that felt halfway done like the journey was going somewhere good but was spontaneously cancelled with no satisfactory alternative. In my humble opinion Oriental Velours smells unfinished, like it could be the base accords to a real masterpiece if it really went further beyond with the dirty or maybe contrasted it with something fresh. The scent opens promisingly with a beautifully weird kicked-up dirt, the Les Indemodables talcum powder signature is present here, but settles to just smelling like the sweet fumes of cheap gas expelled from a Tuk Tuk or a pothole of moldy wet soil with off gasoline, like what you’d accidentally run over on the roads of Indonesia or Kenya. A great memory but not something I'd want to wear haha. On me, abysmal performance which I could have overlooked if the scent character was planning to go somewhere fresher but not darker. I’ve tested this numerously in the past and sprayed it again today to see if I would change my thoughts on whether I liked this, and no. This time I’ve just lost patience with it. It isn’t finished it has me wanting more... More character... With more character it could be great... 7.5/10

Oriental Velours is very difficult to put into the words since it's so simple. It doesn't bring any kind of scenes or memories into my mind. Its very subtle scent, mainly resinous aroma from Myrrh sweetened with Vanilla and Spruce bringing green woody balsamic nuances to it. The scent is pleasant, warm and cozy, it's calming because of aromatic touch in it. Personally, it's very difficult to see this scent anywhere else but when I'm relaxing at home, on the sofa, the fireplace warming next to me but it's beautiful scent for such a purpose. This is a bright and light scent, also in terms of structure. The vanilla is airy and not at all too sweet. Jasmine is a supportive note here. Oriental Velours is totally unisex but I but I feel like it's more attractive on men because of the woody aromatic character. Vetiver is clearly visible in the scent, but it is very soft and velvety. Absolutely a good quality scent but I just feel that something is missing. Jasmin alcoolat Inde Grand cru 5%, Vanille verte oléorésine Madagascar Grand cru 2,5%, Myrrhe essence Somalie 15%, Vétiver essence spéciale Haïti Grand Cru 10% Contient de l’essence d’Épicéa des Alpes* I'm rarely this laconic in my reviews, but sometimes less is more. Thank you for reading, I hope my review was helpful. I would appreciate a lot if you want to follow me on IG and/or YouTube (English subtitles): @ninamariahperfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗

Edit: I got a second sample and tried again. Its still medicinal rubbery in the opening. I will power it out now and see where it goes now 🤞 Update: the rubber disapears avter the first 3h and left is a herbal aromatic. Not the Type I like, but very well done as all of the brands creations are. I had to come and check what notes it is suposed to have cuz I got a nausiating medicinal rooty dirty camomille. I will scrub it off now, cuz I actualy have to agree with the comment bellow. It does smell like the rubber of condomes or sterile gloves. Like very close, its not a stupid comment ment to troll, its true. Unfortunatly 😅 Its the vetiver no daubt! I like vetiver in most compositions, but here it goes full on rubber. It has a similar effect on me in ELDO Fat electrician but not other vetivers. It seems like others get much more myrre and spruce so definitly test it first mabye it will work for you.

Softly radiant Myrrh - Jasmine - Vanilla accord in a plush, cosy atmospheric blanket which wraps me in splendour before a sour note trickles in and jangles my nerves. I guess Spruce was intended to provide balance or contrast, but in fact its discordant and distracting, taking my attention off the beauty and focusing me on the irritating. It's not powerful, either; sillage fades within 45 minutes and I need to put nose to skin after an hour. Dry-down reveals a whiff of cut mushrooms and isn't pleasant. Potentially beautiful until that point but the underlying sour note and the cut-mushroom scents prevent it from getting there. I vastly prefer the superb Musc de Sables from Les Indemodables, which I've bought. Distillation: softly radiant plush and cosy atmosphere wrecked by a sour note

I'm leaving a second review. The first 2-3h are chalangingly medicinal and rubbery to me, but avter that it becomes mellow. It is like a fleshed out version of gucci memoire. The 5 Minutes of Gucci Memoires aromatic floral opening that is sadly underperforming, is the long lasting drydown of this one with extra. Its not for me, but it might be someones signature scent for sure and its extremly high quality.

This is too medicinal even for me! Good composition though, and clearly quality ingredients. From official website: Indian Jasmine alcoolat Grand Cru 5%, Madagascar Green Vanilla oleoresin Grand Cru 2.5%, Somalian Myrrh oil 15%, Haitian special Vetiver oil Grand Cru 10% contains Épicéa oil from the Alps* Epicea is spruce. I think it's this oil combined with Myrrh that gives it it's overall character.

Lets start with the end - slightly non gourmand vanilla, vetiver for sure, its mild, not completely unique but classy nevertheless but what that start? I get clear potato-vegetable curry with ample of cumin. Nothing more nothing less, not hundred percent gourmand but its smell of Indian cuisine. Up to you if you like it or not. Very imaginative and vivid food smell.

I think @redberry11 was spot on. Big explosion followed by deafening silence. Smoky vetiver and Myrrh in the top notes but dries super quickly to a vetiver accord that doesn't work on me at all. Leamns masculine, but both too medicinal and performing too weakly. Reminds me of Odin Seylon in a roundabout way.

Oriental Velours is one of the more unusual fragrances I’ve tested recently; a polarising contrast between light and dark which really challenges the nose I find. The more it dries down the more I lean towards disliking it, if I’m being brutally honest. It opened with this very sharp, rindy note which at first I was almost certain was orange peel, but as it settled on the skin it became more green, more herbal until it was clearly spruce/pine. It becomes leafy, intensely dry, which is furthered by the myrrh, and made almost earthy and grassy from the vetiver. I don’t really get any vanilla, but the jasmine is definitely there, lifting everything with a gentle soapy facet. I’ll be honest, I don’t think this combination of notes works. There’s too much going on, too much clashing between them - there’s no harmony or balance, wearing it feels like chaos on my skin. I don’t enjoy this scent unfortunately, I don’t even want to wear the rest of this sample.

I really don't like this one I've been trying to wear it for a month hoping it would mature into something different than it is. It is nice in the beginning for about 5 minutes with a coniferous, sweet, earthy, and incense myrrh but it falls apart almost immediately and completely changes. I wanted a beautiful earthy, soapy, piney scent with woody nuances like Yatagan or Quorum, with a deep and gothic myrrh incense. What I got was Marmite and salty meat... That becomes weirdly bitter and minty in the late dry-down. Something vegetal, bitter and salty like cold vegetable stock and vinegar that doesn't say "I'm a man" or "I'm a woman" instead it says "I've just left after pigging out at Golden Corral". I have concluded it is unwearable for me, I am happy for those that are genuinely enjoying it. It is... Unique... But even I can't convince myself to be contrarian enough to say this is better than the other offerings.

I'm not sure why they put this 'medicine' note in these formulations nowadays. Honestly, I know some medicines that smell better too! This is another one who's name will totally lead you down a stray path - you may be thinking a precious amber resin shop in a Moroccan bazaar - but nope this is Green Fir forest. With a hospital nearby. Also; I don't like the ''wait n see'' mantra that nearly all Niche scents tend to adopt. No thanks - I want my money's worth form the 1st spray. If L'homme Gants and a select few others can pull of wonderful rich ambrosial sweetness for me from minute 1, why can't others?? Shrug,, I dunno. My rating: 3/10.

To me, this fragrance is like an explosion - a big smoke followed by a big silence. The beginning is quite harsh, aromatic, masculine and unfortunately, not harmonic to my nose....then it suddenly calms down and I only get whiffs of vanilla and myrrh for next few minutes. Although somehow intrigued by the myrrh, I will have to find a different perfume to enjoy it in... . On the contrary, my husband quite liked it on himself.

As much as I love all the notes of this scent separately they do not work well together. After a very strong opening I waited for the scent to settle. I waited, and waited , 3 hours later still waiting and even morning after applying still smelled the same. Not a scent I would use again .

WHY does this remind me of bolognese sauce?! Similar to the culinary bay leaf in ambre sultan...

Oriental Velours Les Indemodables, 2016 Florence Dubois There are no Winters in Mumbai, but the part where I reside (Thane) gets cold enough to qualify for Fall. Lucky for me, as these are the only 2 months I could put some of my more complex fragrances to work. Oriental Velours may not be so complex, but for how unassuming and simple it first appears to my nose, there is a seamlessness to its Myrrh that allows it to coalesce into an Orange Confection at one end, and a Piney, Woody, Smoky and Resinous thing on the other. Not only is the Myrrh here smoky and resinous, but it also smolders, as if it was lit up the moment it touched my skin - though not to the point of being bright or even projecting rabidly, the way you'd expect Myrrh in Middle-Eastern compositions. It radiates coyly and with confidence. I would even call this a Reference Myrrh, as here it is laid bare and disentangled from other ingredients; its sweet, chewy and smoky aspects coming through just as it would emanate from its unadulterated form. Then there is the Spruce, which from my reading is a part of the coniferous family, and the piney, slightly minty and woody nuances here could reasonably be attributed to it. Traces of Vetiver and Vanilla become perceptible as the scent unfolds. Though there is little to unfold with Oriental Velours, what you get at the start is pretty much what remains throughout, and those that fancy Myrrh would find this checking all their boxes. It's also perfectly unisex, but I would personally want to smell this on Women more than I'd want to smell it on myself. I think it's sensuousness would be wasted on Men. It just has a warmth and a Gourmand suggestion (the Orange-lean of Myrrh, as well as its gummy quality) that would just embrace a woman on a cold winter night. If I came under her sillage, I swear I'd be convinced that her figure is glowing. And no, for the record, I don't think the name is offensive and to suggest that 'people of the orient' would be so small as to take umbrage at it is in itself offensive. Grow up. I must admit my favourite by Fouillet Dubois is still the blissfully tart "Chypre Azural". @bigbusynose - 'The Gram

You can tell there is a high concentration of natural materials in this. You get all aspects, which may be a bit surprising if you're not used to that. The myrrh is dry, a little dusty and almost licorice-like. It forms the heart of the fragrance. Fortunately myrrh usually warms up and sweetens a little on my skin and blends wonderfully with the vanilla. This makes it quite pleasant and wearable. If you like myrrh, that is. The spruce is a wonderful addition. It's quite resinous but still has some of the freshness you might get from chewing a bright green and tender cluster of spruce needles in spring -- something I can definitely recommend doing. This adds some brightness to the composition, which unfortunately does not last as long as I would like it to. The vetiver was a little harder to pick up on at first, but after several hours you realize that it's been there all along. It's woody and has a very gentle smokiness. Normally I find Haitian vetiver a little too harsh or acrid, but this is clearly high quality. I can't pick up on the jasmin directly, but I'm sure it's what adds some of the lightness, roundness and sweetness, together with the vanilla. Overall, it's a polite fragrance that doesn't project very strongly. It might have some challenging edges because it's just a mix of 4 raw materials, but I think it's a very successful and balanced composition. Probably a fragrance you'll be able to appreciate and admire right away because of its quality, but maybe not one that jumps out at you, or will be love at first sight. Later, you might come to love it, or find yourself craving for it. If you like myrrh, that is. Which I do.

Complex herbaceous resinous myrrh vetiver vanilla with floral inflections Let me get it out of my system first, I don't particularly enjoy this fragrance. It is practically a conglomerate of things I dislike, purely subjectively, green vanilla fragrances are already a no-go for me. Im also not a fan of overtly damp, earthy formulations. That being said it is technically excellent, very creative and clearly very high quality. So the very first thing i detect is a herbaceous aromatic evergreen top. Soon after the myrrh starts to manifest with elements of vetiver, dark, damp, earthy, rooty. At this point, I start getting the first hints of jasmine. The effect is definitely interesting, damp, dark, mystical, a dark forest path, with elements of brighter florals. Soon I start getting the green vanilla, by far the sweetest element contrasting heavily with the sharp vetiver. Ultimately, the damp cool vegetal notes mingling with the warm yet funky musty myrrh interact strangely. This is further accentuated by the flinty, rooty vetiver, which cuts through like a knife and the completely unrelated vanilla undertones. At some point there are even some tenacious bitter undercurrents which make my stomach churn. I definitely recommend sampling this one for yourself. Give it 6-8 hours to really experience the whole evolution. This one is a miss for me purely on a subjective basis.

Looks like they're discontinuing this? I can see why, but I actually really like this one especially in the opening. The longer it dries down the more the vetiver flattens out but it's still an extremely classy scent because it never gets too rooty, as the myrrh and green notes help balance the vetiver. There might be a hint of real ambergris in here which is one of my favorite notes but here it is not as satisfying to smell as the musty notes seem to clash with the sweetness of the ambergris/possibly synthetic LI woody ambers. The main issue I have with some of the LI scents is that there seems to be a persistent hint of Amber Xtreme (think Amouage Reckless Leather, a truly revolting scent when the opening passes and you realize the entire scent is built on Amber Xtreme molecules which I really can't stand in perfumes; there is probably a lot in Interlude too but it's more tolerable there). Still, a rather classy fragrance that I hope doesn't become an overpriced collectible like all the decent fragrances seem to become these days...the herd is clearly starting to value collectibles increasingly with all the excess cash that's been printed since Covid.

Oriental Velours has a strange addictive quality, I feel like I am gravitating towards dark incense fragrances and piney fragrances these days and both are present in this fragrance. It opens with what I call Les Indemodables signature opening, a bittersweet citrusy aromatic opening, to my nose, it seems like a mandarin/clary sage combo. But here, I detect spearmint as well. This is followed by a natural myrrh note, it is incensy, balsamic and slightly sweet medicinal. The myrrh is paired with spruce that adds a green woody piney note and rooty vetiver that has slight nuttiness as well as a leather accord. The vanilla appears in the the drydown, it is not prominent as you would expect it to be, but I appreciate that because otherwise it will overwhelm the myrrh. The vanilla here has a sweet spicy character. The jasmine here has a strange story, its appearance depends on where I apply the fragrance, sometimes I get it from the opening and it has a sweet profile, other times it is not detectable at all.

After smelling most of the Indémodables line up, I think Antoine Lie is at his best in soft, balsamic, muskie, warm fragrances, of which this is one. I don't get much of the medicinal or coniferous notes most people comment on below, on my skin this is indeed more oriental and velvety. I'm smelling this in cold weather though, this might make a difference... Devoid of top notes, Oriental Velours heads straight for the dry down: a glorious concoction of resins, balsams, semi sweet muscs and a subtle vanilla note. In spite of its subtly green and medicinal twists, this is not the most original thing you'll ever smell. Yet very pleasant to wear. Oriental Velours is a warm, comforting fragrance that wears close to skin and doesn't shout it's name. Pillowy and cocooning, but with just enough going on to keep the nose interested. Lingers and lingers.......yum!

The opening of Oriental Velours is disproportionately loud compared with the rest of what you get after the initial big bang redolent of woods, earth, amber, resins (myrrh reins Supreme here flanked by a restrained vetiver all earthy, spicy and also woody). Then moves in the jasmin but you can't feel it, you just hear her long soft skirt rustling around on aromatic moist grounds over which are towering some fir trees. And you could confuse it with tuberose at times. Vanilla? It sure is somewhere but I can't put my finger on it really. It's somehow omnipresent, softening the whole composition but invisible at the same time. The drydown as others have said is moldy, gasoine-like leathery, and aromatic. Does it fall into the Orientals category? Je ne sais pas. But it's intriguing. I won't wear it though.

I heard a good review by Ramsey, so I ordered a sample. I was interested in this for the myrrh. I also love conifers, so the spruce was promising. I get a bit of myrrh, but mostly feels like labdanum/ amber with some myrrh. It is surprisingly fresh smelling. This would even be fresh enough for warm weather. I thought I smelled a little honey sweetness. The spruce and vanilla are not very noticeable. It is generally a very pleasant Ambery fragrance. The Jasmine and vanilla are just faint nuances, that make the fragrance very smooth and enjoyable. I can't see anyone not liking this. Not groundbreaking, or bottle worthy for me. As I have a large collection. But if you want to try an introduction Oriental fragrance, you won't be disappointed with this one. Rating: 7.5/10 God bless. Ephesians 2:8.

This, minus the vetiver and I'm considering buying this. Unfortunately, where things are between me and vetiver, well, we ain't on speaking terms. I would say of all the bottle / samples / decants I own and use, fewer than 3 would feature vetiver. I just DO NOT like it. The myrrh can't tame it, neither can the spruce, and whilst I can smell the other components clearly, it's totally ruined by the vetiver. Vetiver is like being at your favourite restaurant and smell some pompous douche smoking a cigar a few tables away. RUINED. Anyway, if you're not as precious and sensitive with vetiver as I am, give it a try. It really does work well (it was in my 50-50 pile for a few months), though now, sadly, it'll go back into the discovery pack from whence it came...