Eau des Baux

I was reading every single review of your and knowing already L'Occitane for its outstanding simplicity and quality ingredients, intrigued by the notes...I convinced myself: blind buy. 47 pounds for 75ml, I think it's a really good value, compared to other brands and their prices. The bottle: I love it. Very simple, small and nice amberish colour. It is true what you read: it is "slightly similar" to Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. The vanilla notes and the tonka bean really make the two similar but it's a moment. TV is a blast: you spray it and immediately you have a strong, stinging perfume. It cost a lot but rest assured that is going to stick with you for the rest of the day and it's going to fill rooms. TV has no middle ground: you hate it or you love it and considering that the perfume is another "business card" you can be sure that not every nose is going to be crazy about it, totally the opposite. EDB instead is on another level: subtle, mysterious, intriguing...the description on the back of the box completely got it right because that's how it is. You get "puffs" not a blast in your face and that's what is captivating...charming. " Never give them too much...give them a little by little, enough...they'll be hooked. Completely." EDB is that. Now, I spray: it's an experience, a trip. You get right away the cardamom and pink pepper as in the description...to me, those very first seconds ( maximum 1 minute ) are a bit, a bit, a bit similar to Paco Rabanne Black XS because of the cardamom. The slow dry down is majestic: on my skin the cypress and the incense are a great match. It feels like I'm walking in one of those herbal shops during Medieval times and, right away, popping in a nearby cathedral. Slightly dark, few candles and silence. Again, what I get match exactly what L'Occitane tried to recreate. I simply love this part. Base: spectacular. The combo vanilla - tonka bean is the "cherry on the cake". The vanilla is not very strong, very elusive on me but I like it. The tonka bean instead are prominent. This perfume is not a simple one: you buy it and you have a little bottle coming straight from alchemists of an ancient past. When someone says that is like "perfume for a grandpa" is kind of true. This perfume is not adapt if you want to go clubbing. This is a Man perfume. This is a Knight Perfume ( again, inspired by L'Occitane ) You have this on when you bring a gorgeous lady to a rooftop bar for cocktails and it's chilly, you have this with your best three piece suit ( black obviously ) and go for business meetings in a fancy hotel then right away drinks, you have this with a long, cozy coat and a cashmere scarf. It's not all roses...even the most beautiful ones have thorns: the sillage is very low. Considering that L'Occitane is of high standard about the quality of the oils, it's a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong: you'll manage good but you'll have to spray abundantly and still EDB will be subtle. It's okay and that's exactly how is supposed to be but a greater sillage would have been perfect, literally. Longevity: not much...for now I get around 3/4 hours, maybe a bit more then skin scent it seems. Still testing so fingers crossed. I am terribly happy that it is not a mainstream fragrance, it's all on the good side for various reasons. I read on a couple of post, especially some olds, about it being discontinued. Is it true? I'd stock up right away. Anyway, guys, you all, I really wanted to Thank you <3 . Without your reviews I would have never came across EDB, at least not now maybe sometime in the future ( even knowing perfectly well L'Occitane ) and convinced myself to buy based also on your opinions. Thank you L'Occitane.

Dear Nose of this scent Miss Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, thank you so much for my gorgeous moments with this scent. I dream, dream to meet You and ask you how that story with Eau De Baux has started. ..? It really doesn't matter if you are a woman or men. Its such a gem. First gorgeous bottle. Dark, rich brown glass like old school perfumery and pharmacy style. Its such a nice perfume. Perfume and beyond. Oh Em Gee it has all notes and accords mentioned here and 80 more blended so well in it. Its rich its earthy its a perfume for any occasion and season. That Vanilla and Mint stands for sweetness and then you have many accords for Fresh Green and Green Spicy, Spicy and Marine accords. Its a perfume that will tell people around Your legacy and statement. Its so powerful and ... healing the aura around...Its calming and in the same time That Ginger and Dry Orange Skin, Moss and Cedar with Lemons give You Total Power and relaxation. Magical, Soft Sweet Tonka gives a delicate touch and that kick near by from Black Pepper and Pink Pepper. ... that richness is made with a high quality of bio products I can sense it in any accord of this Gem. Then you have Cedar, Oak, Pine, burning in smoked fire that deepen Smoky; Woody accords. It takes you to camp in the forest or wooden house where GingerBread is baking in the oven. That brings memories of holiday season or nostalgic aromas that we all miss and crave. Cinnamon and Sugar will awake delightful spices and sparks of holidays seasons...with Your loved ones... For me its a scent of Tennis court from Santa Barbara, Santa Anna California. Lovely sport club hidden in cedar, cypress, pine, oak, moss....park. As the legend said : "Knights of Les Baux have chosen cypress as symbol of strength and courage". -and this is what you feel.. I couldn't describe it more. Sacred Cypress speaks for itself in his Magical Properties... Do not wear Magic Wand with yourself... spray that sacred and secret wood in it will work as magic wund...make a wish of today and let it go as you wear it... To me its all year round scent it goes well in hot dry and colder months as well.

This is the one that solved my Diptyque Eau Duelle problem (too feminine for me). This is also the one that solved my Dior Homme Parfum problem (too hard to find/not versatile). This is the one that solved my Man in Black/Spicebomb problem (too popular/too unsubtle/too man-in-his-twenties: I'm 48). This is the one that solved my vanilla conundrum/obsession... for now. I think Eau des Baux contains facets of all the above scents and am surprised nobody has mentioned Dior Homme Parfum as having a similar...something... Very beautiful warm, herbal, smokey, woody, vanilla potion. It imparts a certain integrity and goodness to the wearer. I wear it in cooler/cold weather with lambswool fisherman sweaters or brownish/beige/fall-coloured sports coats. It's a supersnuggler and got a wow from a fussy friend who always rips the pish out of whatever fragrance I wear - but this one got a strong WOW from her within 2 seconds. It's my most-worn fragrance as we head into Autumn. I was sorry to put Chanel's Allure Homme Sport and AdP's Colonia Assoluta back into the cupboard for next Spring/Summer but with Eau des Baux there's something to look forward to wearing in the cold. A note on performance: for me, both longevity and sillage are big. Lasts all day and is easily smelled by those around me. 3 sprays on the neck are enough. EDIT: performance WAY better on skin than clothes.

After having used this fragrance for a few months now, it's time the re-review this. Initially, I was kind of disappointed by Eau des Baux, because it lacked the intensity and thickness I was expecting. Ironically though, I have used it more than any other fragrance since buying it in january and it has pretty much become my signature scent. To me, this is the perfect "I wanna smell like spicy vanilla without choking anyone out"-fragrance and it has really grown on me. I can use it pretty much any time, any day and it just fits. I have even (sparingly) used it in the summer heat and it wasn't cloying. It's not the most memorable or unique fragrance ever, but it has a lot going for it. It is: - very natural smelling; nothing about it comes off as synthetic or cheap - harmoniously blended; the opening is maybe a bit too peppery for my nose, but thereafter everything sits just right - perfect for layering; goes really well with sweeter, heavier fragrances, like Noir Extreme or Kharmrah Qahwa - very likeable; it JUST. SMELLS. GOOD. Something 90%+ of people are going to enjoy smelling - leaning masculine, but still wearable for many women IMO - not particularly youthful or mature Also, amazing atomizer and for a bit over 30€, this was a steal... When temperatures drop below 10°C or so, I'm gonna stick to the heavy stuff, but from spring to early fall, this is IT.

This is much higher quality than the price suggests, probably owing to the fact Occitane as a company has its history in extraction of essential oils so they may find it easier to source high-quality natural ingredients. Comparisons with Tobacco Vanille are incorrect - the much better comparison is Phaedon's Tabac Rouge. Phaedon TR is more transparent, tea and spice-based, drier and less based on tobacco. This one is spicier still than Phaedon TR, and has a chunky raspiness from the woods which is more rugged. For me, the cypress and tonka are most pushy and prominent. They have very different characters so their discord creates a very warm, low end vegetal 'fizz' element to this fragrance (slightly reminiscent of cola). With that providing the main body of the fragrance, cardamom (and possibly cinnamon) fumes off the top delightfully. It's unisex because we have the gourmand qualities - the tonka and the vanilla, and we have the cypress giving it outdoor woodsiness. This fragrance lasts a long time, it evolves in a non-linear manner, and it project very well. The blending is splendid. Like most of Occitanes fragrances, this smells like a simplistic, well-sourced set of materials, less of a statement of composition. But the materials and blending are still great. Cosy, warm, woodsy, spicy, very unisex, excellent performance.