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.

"Ideal for a confident, mysterious and sensual man who is always in control and looking for new adventures", I read on the box right after I bought this gorgeous perfume for myself :D Honestly, even though it is on a masculine side I find it perfectly unisex and I love it both on myself and my boyfriend. In fact, this is probably the best perfume "for men" that I've ever smelled (but if I would smell it on a woman I would be seriously impressed too). For me it opens up with the smell of beer, vanilla and beeswax and then dries down into gorgeous sweet frankincense with a slight cola hint. It's cosy, warm, confident, extraverted. I highly doubt the knights actually smelled like this (more like sweat and no shower?) but I can believe this is the smell of adventure. It's a very powerful and optimistic perfume and it's definitely going on the shelf with my favourite fragrances and in my incense collection. The only minus I could find is a rather poor longevity (not surprising sine it's EDT) which makes me use up a lot of it very fast. Ugh, maybe the second bottle will happen sooner than I expected!

Comparing a 2014 bottle with a 2020 bottle I’m getting a brighter opening in the newer version but they eventually dry down to the same scent. Just get the current batch off of L’Occitane’s website as it’s basically the same as the older 100ml edition. In terms of scent, this opens with a beautiful combination of cypress and cardamom and then smoothened by the vanilla and tonka bean underneath it. I’m very surprised by the tonka here as it’s not sweet or cloying like in modern fragrances (here you’re getting more of the classic bean component). The overall wear of the fragrance is a bit chalky/soapy due to the cardamom, vanilla, and incense—which I find surprisingly pleasant. I get about 6 hours of good longevity with a modest scent bubble that lingers for a while. A love for me! Also I’m not sure where the comparisons with Tobacco Vanille are coming from as this smells nothing like it. They both contain vanilla, but this one is a lot more refined, reserved, and clean while TV is more playful, modern, and somewhat dirty ashy.

Until recently I was not impressed by the house of L’Occitane. Their bottles (in their men’s perfumery) are modest (ugly, one can say), much more suitable to Dr. Queen (if you know her) than to the contemporary art of scents. And, then, I discovered Eau des Baux. What a surprise! What a pleasure! A lot of fragranticians, before these lines, succeed to describe it with precision and inspiration. I’ll just repeat that L’O's Eau des Baux is a flawlessly addictive scent. For those who are passionate about Guerlain’s Heritage or Azzaro’s Pour Homme, for those who appreciate Montana Pour Homme, Terre d'Hermes, some Aramis’ or Chanel’s Antaeus (and the rest of the gang that you can imagine - plus vanilla & tonka), Eau des Baux will be a constant subject of desire: it’s warm and spicy, comforting and long-lasting. Good for the winter, good for the summer. Good for the alpinist, good for the mariner. Extremely good for anyone who lives the nostalgia of a real man perfume, with an eye on the future. A deserved 9/10.

This fragrance has a special place in my heart. I used to wear it before I became a fraghead, so basically on a daily basis during colder months. Cypress is star of the show here and the note I pick up the most and also the main reason I love it so much. When my collection started to grove I got rid of the old 100ml bottle as I thought there are much better fragrances to explore. That might be true but it does not change the fact that this is a superb masculine and unique scent worth having in my rotation. This week I stumbled upon a bottle for very good price and guess what? It still is that good old Eau Des Baux in all it’s beauty and will be getting heavy use again. Sometimes you just can’t get rid of old habbits, maybe you just forget them for few years. I highly recommend this fragrance, especially for the price you can get it for these days. PS: I do not find it that similar to Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille. It’s also worth mentioning this fragrance was originally released a year prior to TV :)

As the calendar flips to December, Eau des Baux starts to sneak back into the rotation. I have it stuck in my head that this is what all the dads in every John Hughes movie smells like. The slightly camphors opening becoming a little smokey with incense. Spice and vanilla follow and gently reveal themselves in equal parts. Projection and longevity are both are modest but acceptable for this edt. Develops well on skin and the comparisons to Holliday gingerbread are fair. Overall a very interesting classic that leans mature and goes well with eggnog and sweaters. While I doubt L'Occitane has even the slightest interest in revisiting a 16yr old scent, I do wonder what an edp flanker would be like. **edit** as I neared the end of my bottle I started to layer this more with Gentleman Reserve Privee to great effect and it became a go to for office days. The spicy vanilla was even more evident at the end of the day so I ordered another bottle. This is a highly underrated scent.

This is a wonderful fragrance and really cheap compared to prices us addicts can pay up to! On my second bottle of this now and I think I’ll always have this on my winter rotation. It is undoubtedly weaker than my one from 7 or so years ago but I just overspray with a good 8 or 9 sprays and then a warm comforting bubble follows me around for a good 4 or 5 hours before settling to skin only I’ve tried doing it without, it’s definitely worth over spraying this one! The scent itself is just very “tasty” and makes me think of Christmas. I don’t even wear this one in Autumn due to that, it’s solely a winter one for me. I’m rubbish at picking out notes, but this is well blended and I can pick up the vanilla and tonka very easily. Tiny bit Smokey...I’m guessing the incense that’s listed? Overall it gives me a nutmeg vibe more than anything else. Quite linear but at around £35 this isn’t a surprise and not every fragrance needs to be a magical journey. It’s just very comforting!

This one has been on my "have to try" list ever since I saw a review video by the wonderful Katie Puckrik over 10 years ago. Today I went to my local L'Occitane store and finally gave it a sniff. After carefully smelling the tester bottle, I applied the eau de toilette straight to my wrist and just seconds later I was handed a test blotter by a staff member. While I liked it on the tiny bit of paper, I loved it on my skin. On the paper the fragrance smells lighter, slightly more green and transparent, while the notes of smoky incense and spices are much more prominent on my skin. I do detect vanilla and tonka, but not as much as I expected based on some reviews posted here. The vanilla is not center stage and has more of a dark balmy vanilla bean character instead of a sugar cookie vanilla one. Its powderyness and a slight whiff of funk remind me of vintage perfumes and indie perfume oils, in a good way.

At first I was a bit underwhelmed by this. Like yeah, it's a nice "fresh out of the shower" barbershop type of scent, nothing offensive, but nothing special either. Took me a couple of wears to really appreciate it. The first thing that hits me in the opening is a very natural cypress and/or juniper, pepper and the vanilla, which lasts for the whole ride. As the coniferous notes fade, the vanilla gets warmer, deeper and the spicy notes (think of chai latte) round it of very nicely. I perceive a hint of tobacco and it also kind of reminds me of that sandalwood shaving cream I used to have. This is no beast mode fragrance by any means, but it's not weak either. Very wearable, non-offensive, natural smelling every day scent for cooler temperatures and maybe up to 20°C or even beyond. IMO, Eau des Baux leans slightly masculine, but most women could still pull this off easily.

325 Today is incense fragrances day for me. First Jaisalmer (not exactly same smelling, but the fresh peppery sweet dry spices do echo something that feels similar in both). Here the spices, vanilla, and cypress make a gorgeous composition. The “incense” note is always a mystery in fragrances, so we will never know what truly makes it what it is. This is very nostalgic in a unisex way, so familiar, but hard to pinpoint from the distant past. This is beautifully blended. I loved it at first sniff in 2006(?). It was much stronger back then; it has been diluted unfortunately. It lasted much longer and it was amazing. A spicy sweet simmering smoldering aroma. It’s a ghost of its former self but still smells very good for maybe an hour with heavy spraying. 9/10-for composition 2/10-weakened from original formula. Would not repurchase.

I love this one. Someone below mentioned that this is sort of a matured version of Mercedes Benz Club Black and I kind of concur with that. If you love warm spicy gourmand type of scent, this one is most appropriate. I love fall and winter fragrances with that scent profile and this one fits the bill. It somehow reminds me of another Tom Ford but not just Tobacco Vanille. I thought its Tobacco Oud but that's just my nose. This one stays longer on fabric or clothes and to me its a gorgeous masculine scent that is quite delightful to wear. This is the only L'Occitane in my collection and I'll give it an 8/10. Each nose is different and scent is subjective. Let's enjoy the scents that we love and respect those who has different scent preferences than us. That's a great way to preserve harmony in our community.

This is my starter of vanilla fragrance for fall and winter season. This is totally different from TF Tobacco Vanille, which i also had as a decant. Tobacco Vanille gives me a little bit of fruity scent and sweetness of honey accord (maybe it is the blend of vanilla and tobacco), while Eau des baux is lightly spicy, warm and masculine. The pink pepper opening is weird to my nose at first but I start to addict to it. The transition between the dark-warm pepper and incese to the sweetness of vanilla is magical during winter/spring time. However, I also spray some on my arms during rainy weather. Performance is great on my skin: average projection and it lasts 4-5 hours, which is suitable for school. Love it! 8/10

Amazing modern ambery vanilla. Smooth vanilla with a soft incense, not the overpowering smoky incense you get from other frags. It is not overly sweet, would not call this a gourmand. Smells very natural, doesn't have the modern "woodsy notes" cheap generic smell you get out of your JPGs or spicebombs. Performs pretty well. Some people find it lacklustre - it is more understated than your tobacco vanille or spicebomb, but with 3-5 sprays it will definitely be noticed. Spray on top of an unscented moisturiser or layer with the eau des baux shower gel if you want really good performance. You would be hard pressed to find a more refined fall/winter fragrance in this category, especially at this price point.

Ok - I truly do not understand the stick this one gets for longevity. It lasts all day on skin my skin, several days on clothes and nearly choked my family in the car with 3 sprays. It projects like a beast too. I guess others must have a different skin chemistry or anosmia (if the latter do think of your fellow man (m/f). And yes - I have the newest batch in 75 ml bottle. This is truly an amazing fragrance, one of my first and most loved. Too heavy for me to wear during summer - unless the colder days. *edit I find that it actually can work on warmer days. With a gentle trigger finger, mind you. The warmth of the pepper os strangely soothing in the heat. Atleast to me it is.

I wear it and I get compliments from the ladies :) It captures a natural fragrance of the cypress under the sun. The combination of masculinity and softness in this perfume is perfect. It is round and rich, notes are balanced so well. It brings both comfort and energy. I also agree with those who say that this fragrance is "spiritual," as it works well for concentration. Who does not like herbal, oldschool medicine notes - test before buying; it is nothing like "Aromatic elixir", but it contains some shade of the herbal bitter note. The difficulty is to dose it properly: it projects very well. I'm glad there are more people who appreaciate this treasure :)

For me, this is the standout fragrance in this peppery, sweet and spicy bracket only let down by it's lack of performance. What sets EdB apart from others that many compare it to is the prominent cypress note without which would mean it were almost identical to the likes of spicebomb, Vetiver and Golden Vanilla and Joop Homme Absolute, the latter of which is probably the closest to this, again, in my humble opinion. As mentioned at the start, the lack of performance is what really lets this down but I recently picked up the 75ml bottle at the L'Occitane store in Dubai mall for under £30 which is an absolute steal, poor performance or not!