Across Sands

I love this. It’s unlike any other oud fragrance I’ve tried. I think it’s unique while also managing to avoid the usual pitfall that comes with this kind of creativity: Being polarizing. I can see some people saying “not for me”, but I can’t imagine anyone thinking it’s gross. I can smell neither rose nor that sharp bug-spray note that comes with other oud scents, like Oud Palao or Velvet Tender Oud (both of which I own and enjoy). This is sweet, *extremely* date-forward, and heavy on cinnamon as part of its spice profile, and it’s a strong performer that won’t need too many sprays. It’s also a classy, modern, and one-of-a-kind club night or date night scent. I also understand people’s comparisons to rum raisin cake, but I think it’s reminiscent of going to a high-end, artisanal bakery rather than the hit-or-miss home baked stuff. To me, there are also hints of booze and cherry in the scent that aren’t immediately obvious, but are revealed for those willing to study the drydown patiently. While I don’t deny the sweetness of this fragrance, I have to say I’m surprised that so many are saying this is a “feminine” scent. I frankly see it as tilting toward more masculine, and I kind of have trouble envisioning it working for most women. Not that it couldn’t work for women, just that it doesn’t scream “female fragrance” to me. As a guy who works with his hands and wears a beard, I haven’t had any comments indicating that it’s out of place on me. Across Sands *will* get you compliments, even from some unexpected sources. People who never comment on this sort of thing (to me) do notice and appreciate Across Sands, in my experience. One final disclaimer: This is absolutely a cold weather scent in my mind. I think it could also work very well on extremely hot, dry nights during summer. Unless you literally live in or near a desert (I do), it’s really difficult for me to imagine this fragrance working well outside of those scenarios.

Considering the fact that this has been discontinued for some odd reason, this was a total pain to find from anywhere to purchase. I managed to get my hands on a near full bottle however, and i do have to say, it surprises me in the most delightful way. For a fragrance thats been touted as strong and spicy with a powerful oud presence, the sillage is unfortunately extremely light on my skin, which is a shame as this is an absolute gem of a fragrance. Across sands stays true to its name with a very middle eastern DNA. The date accord is one i can safely say i haven't smelled in another fragrance yet, and despite thinking it would be too cloying and sickly sweet, the date notes actually have a certain warm fruity honey sweetness that balance out the stronger wood and spice nuances and help tie everything together. I don't get a true "oud" smell from this, more a dark, dried oud scented wood, which in all fairness may have actually been to its benefit as a stronger oud would have probably easily overpowered the date sweetness. I don't know what it is about the scent, a personal memory trigger perhaps, but a whiff of this transports me to a hot summers day in my Great Grandmother's home after she burned incense throughout the house and set desserts for the family. It has the quality of being a very warming "cuddle up at sunset at home" fragrance while also containing a mystical exotic "arabian nights" quality. If only this had a little more Sillage, and a bit more longevity, i would have dipped in my savings and bought 3 to 4 bottles of this and used it exclusively. It is truly that good. A shame that its been discontinued, but i do hope more fragrances with this formula and fragrances that use dates, honey, spices, and "oud" make more of an appearance. If you have the luck of finding this, or obtaining a sampler, GET IT.

After seeing a second hand bottle pop up for the lowest price I have ever seen I coudn't resist. I only had a tiny bit left in my old bottle that I hadn't really used since about a year ago baucause I wanted to keep some for memories. I remeber the first time I was wearing this again it brought me to tears. There's something about this perfume that makes it so comforting. It was my first oud fragrance and one of the only fragrances I own that I'm always in the mood for. It's well blended with a soft warm sweetness from the dates, for the rest I mainly get spices from it, but it also seems slightly floral. I often wear it to bed but also like it in any weather or season. It's very comforting but also quite out there. Definetly my most complimented perfume also, for what it's worth. These days it's not as as exciting as it once was anymore, the longevity and sillage are okay at best and the whole scent profile is a lot less crazy than some actual Arabic oud scents. Not to mention the quality of the oud itself, these days I would prefer a realistic oud which this definitely isn't but probably also would not work in this. And despite all of that I still haven't found a scent that felt as much like home as this one does. Maybe it's the memories, but I still haven't come across anything with this much personality and uniqueness which also wears this easily. Such a shame it's dicontinued cause this is so special to me. I don't think I will ever get tired of it and I don't think anything could replace it.

I've been diving into Oud scents for the last few months. So far i've tried Gucci-Intense oud, Hugo boss-Bottled oud, Mancera-Sand Aoud, Rasasi-Faqat Lil Rijal and Tom Ford-Oud wood. This one is a beauty for the price (125 euro for 100ml).. It's a spicy Oud with a sweet base. Official notes are: Top: Cinnamon Essence, Osmanthus Absolute, Davana Essence Mid: Date Accord, Everlasting Flower, Cistus Absolute Base: Oud Absolu, Patchouli Essence, Incense Essence It's more of a western Oud, but it's nice and starts of strong without being overpowering or too skanky. If you don't like oud, it might not be your thing. But if you do, this one is well behaved and not yet venturing into barnyard territory. From the scents mentioned above, the oud resembles Mancera's Sand Aoud the most. Longivity is good with 7+ hours on skin. Projection is only good for the first 1.5 to 2 hours, then it goes closer to the skin. Sillage is ok. People will catch whiffs of it when crossing your path. Tbh i catch myself sniffing my hand alot while sampling this :D Overall i'm very pleased with the scent!

You know there is more than 3 notes... This is from Basenotes. Across Sands celebrates the Oriental tradition of a daring ‘oud’ fragrance softened with warm earthy notes of dates and cinnamon. The suave, fruity concoction is lifted with liquorice, osmanthus and divana flowers on the deep woody base of oud, patchouli and incense. This heady cocktail of spices evokes an otherworldly mysticism for a voyage into the undulating hills of one’s imagination. These are the notes. Dates, Cinnamon, Licorice, Osmanthus, Davana, Oud, Patchouli, Incense The whole morrocan vibe is captured perfectly with this scent. Spices, warmth,depth, IDK about oud but whatever. Sillage is heavy for the first few hours and longevity is 8+ hours with this gem. This is a perfectly mild scent that is office friendly and reminds me of L'Erbolario Meharees. MMM seems to always be discounted on Ebay. For whatever reason the labels are generic and get dirty fast or start to peel off. If I can find this at around 60-70 bucks as other MMM's are priced then it will most likely be in my collection!

This is actually one of the cherished gems of my collection. If there were such thing as an uplifting oud fragrance, this would be it. It almost comes across as sour - id imagine it’s not from one note in particular - but all of them combined. The oud is nice. Not tough. The date note gives it a delicate feel. I’m one of those guys who stays away from “feminine leaning” scents - and while I see that some feel this leans feminine, to me, it definitely does not. I’m fine wearing this year round. I don’t think it’s too heavy to wear in the heat - and it certainly has the bite to pop in the winter. I can see how this would not be for everyone. I wouldn’t recommend blind buying it - unless you’re cool with spicy, sour/oud scents. If you are, you’ll love it. Also - when I say sour, I’m not talking about citrusy - more like a ripe date mixed with oud...like anyone has ever smelled that combination anyway :) This is a great fragrance - no designer/mainstream dna In this. Love it!

Weird, beautiful gem. It's a shame that the best of the Replica scents from the otherwise rather mediocre line are the ones that get discontinued... Spiced dates, quality oud and comes with great performance to boot. I'd really love to see this brought back, because Ebay scalpers (sorry, "resellers") are a plague and I refuse to give them anything, no matter how great the fragrance they're selling is. This scent is really magical and has an almost otherworldly feel to it - it perfectly captures the idea of being 'Across Sands'. I imagine myself in a small village between the dark dunes, night has just fallen, the snake charmers ply their trade between the spice stalls which have mostly closed down, but recently enough that you can still make out hints of their wares on the cold gusts of wind and against the backdrop of pure, ethereal desert. Do not blind buy this, though. It's certainly not for everyone.

DRY DRY DRY. I feel it does disservice to the fragrance putting the word Sweet up on the Main Accords list. That, coupled with the picture of the moist juicy date would lead one to believe this was an unctuous oily sweet oud. This is not. This is so terrifically dry it is almost dust dry -(and don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that.) Had i read the description as a dry date oud, i would be just as intrigued if not more so. After the opening dust storm settles the first word that came to mind was Muskmallow. Dont know if that is a recognized listing but that's what i get. Then Adenium flower and Agarwood stick (not the heartwood). Overall a fairly linear progression, just a few elements here, but the elements are so unique it really does put you in a Lawrence Of Arabia headspace. Highly recommended for fans of the unusual. And highly un-recommended for those who like sweet frags.

Dates are present, yes, but beware it being overstated. I sense mostly a dusty oud, with only a little date sweetness at the heart when smelling it directly, The converse, however, is that when smelled at a distance through the air, and on skin, the date note is much more pronounced. My bottle is very old, 2017 at the earliest, so well macerated. I haven't worn this in years before this review, and I'm a little taken aback. There is a red/pink pepper note that I did not remember. There is musk and a slight animalic white pepper, too (but not barnyard). It's very corporeal, it lends itself very much towards scent sprayed 6 hours ago, almost equally matched by natural body scent (not BO or overt sweatiness, more a masculine kind of human musk after a day at the office). It's sexy. There is a refreshing pink grapefruit skin note when huffed from the skin. 8/10, wear it to bed with company.

Date, mild spices (cinnamon, cumin?), osmanthus, a woody base and a touch of smoke. Kinda smells like a freshly baked raisin spice cake. The notes list here is not complete. The woody base is nice, but doesn't smell like real oud. Across Sands is pretty cozy, very blended, linear and mildly sweet. I love date and osmanthus and cinnamon and woods, so this scent is really just sort of "comfort food" for my nose. I didn't expect to like this one - a lot of MMM's scents don't work on me and seem over priced. But Across Sands seems to be better crafted than some others in MMM's range, with no sharp notes sticking out. It's not as strong of a projector as I would like but it's not bad. I would suggest this as a good first scent to try if you want to dip your toe into exotic scents - it's sort of an Arabian-lite, with extremely mild spices. Like/love!

Treid it a few times a long time ago and finally decided to buy it when it was on discount. It has been my go to scent since. Since I wear it almost daily I don't notice it anymore after a while or sometimes think I'm getting bored of it. However; everytime I get back to it I fall in love again. It smells dark, sexy and mysterious while still feeling very gender neutral which is something I look for most the the time in my fragrances. It is a little sweet for my liking but I don't mind too much since it's still quite dark and complex. Haven't found anyone that doesn't like it but it's still not for everyone.

The dates are the star of the show. Its jujube sweetness reminds me of saffron notes, which I love. Actually this is a very close match to Alkemia's The Golden Bough, a saffron-centred fragrance. I particularly like this combination of dates and oud. The oud here is of the inky variety you frequently encounter in Arabic perfumes rather than the barnyard Laotian variety. This goes on juicy, treacly and warm. I don't find it dry at all. Lovely depth and mystery from the oud. In my opinion, one of the best from the house Maison Martin Margiela. But then I'm a oud and oriental fan :))

Across Sands by Maison Martin Margiela creates the illusion of travelling through a warm, silky desert. It takes you to a desert paradise, where dancing sand dunes are overflowing with notes of enchanting spices and burning oud, sweetened by an oriental date accord. The creamy top note of davana blends with an intense floral note of osmanthus and is entwined with cinnamon, thus adding an ardent and spicy twist to the scent. At the heart of the blend are date accord and everlasting flower, while deep woody notes of oud, patchouli and incense complete the base.

Across Sands is one of my favorite gourmand fragrances, and the best representation of dates that I've tried in a fragrance. The fragrance has a seductive and mysterious opening which I find intoxicating. As the fragrance dries down, you get the wonderful sweetness from the dates and develop a dessert-like quality. Overall, my wear has been good, but this fragrance, I believe, is more appropriate for nightwear. I can see this being someone's signature scent if they choose. Overall, a highly unique scent that is now hard to find.

I'm in love! Across Sands opens up with sweet spiciness then the oud reveals itself in a glorious fashion, like a desert warrior emerging through a dust storm. You are eventually left with a lightly-sweet, spicy, rosey oriental aroma that has a wonderful deep oudesque richness to it. This is fantastic. A simple formula executed to utter perfection! I feel like I could wear this all the time. This was my first Maison Martin Margiela Replica & I just hope & wish the rest of the line is this gorgeous

Ugh, I love this. I've been wearing it for four years now or so. I just adore how the dates sweeten up the oud, but not overly so. I'm a big fan of this scent profile in general, and I have sampled so many woody fragrances, but my holy trinity remains: Across Sands (mellowest, slightly sweet, still impactfully woody) / By the Fireplace (smoky powerhouse with some smoothness yet) / Oud for Greatness (a psychedelically layered, mystical oud for special occasions).

What a delight...! I really love the scents from MM and this is no exception. Sweet dried dates spicyness and oud. It has a clean feel behind the sweet spicyness. Its summer now but I this is wearable for all occasions and all seasons. For men and woman ledning towards the feminine. Perfect, wellblended and intriguing. Smells expensive and exclusive without beeing intimidating. Longevity is about 8 hours and silage is an armslenght. This is a BIG love for me.

I wish they would bring this back in some capacity. I use so sparingly now because I’m less than a quarter bottle left! A spray in each crevice and chest and you will smell all day long. Lingers in the clothes until you need to do the wash. It’s so warm and inviting. I am always complimented. I’m sure there are more notes than listed but it’s not too sweet. Great for unisex and pretty versatile in that you could wear for many occasions and seasons.

This brings about the memories from Jubilation XXV before the formation for that was changed. Very high class niche scent. Only a very few handful of people can pull this off. Great longevity, and moderate-high sillage. People are getting oud from this? god knows why. None for me me. I get dried dates and smokey woodsy notes. Molton Brown reference is BS. They do not smell alike or have the same quality that of Across Sands. 10/10

The central date note is the best thing about this fragrance: it's sweet and earthy, but delicate and airy. The spice accord has a similar warmth to cinnamon and licorice, but less nuanced and more peppery. The base note does not smell like oud at all, just generic woods - a good thing if your skin fights with weird chemical smelling base notes, but don't expect complexity or high sillage. Dries down to a long lasting skin scent.

Delicious. Its is one of those fragrances that is not mass produced so your purchase will probably be a blind buy and you will be rewarded. Its sweet and long lasting but without heavy sillage. Spicy but not too spicy, there is the tiniest hint of patchouli, and the oud is not really oud but a slight warm wood. Dates are the outstanding note. This one will get you asked "What are you wearing?"

This definitely has the same vibe as Oud Royal as I’m comparing them side by side. This has dates lead so it’s definitely fruitier, sweeter and warmer. This feels whole whereas Oud Royal feels empty, hollow and lacking. I was reluctant to blind buy this as I already own Oud Royal but decided to buy anyway, and I can fully say that I do not regret this purchase.

Simply and mainly dates, spices, and a subdued oud as the notes here suggests (accurate for once lol). VERY well put together and smooth. The spices and oud do not have a harshness nor is the sweetness from the dates is cloying. Very balanced and wearable! Stuff is pretty long lasting and has some radiance, a bonus!

I’ve about half a bottle left. Can’t find it anywhere. I really wish MM would bring it back. This is the best scent I’ve ever had. It’s so unique, comforting, and classy. I’d love to get my hand on another bottle or at least something very similar.

A deliciously sweet fragrance with pretty good performance in term of longevity and projection. It will give you a cherry garden vibe at the top note and the dry down is even more beautiful soapy and clean. I love it. 4/5 Age ;+30

Oud, dates, and spices. What more can I say? A true gem. Fragrancebuy.ca just got a few bottles in stock, grab one while you can...

I love the scent. If anyone in the US is selling for a reasonable price, I'm looking for a bottle.

Across Sands is a very unique and one of a kind perfume. I have not smelled anything like it before. I must warn you, it is very sweet and powdery. I am Persian and I am very familiar with the smell of Saffron. This is by far the best and the most authentic smelling saffron perfume, I have ever smelled. It reminds me on the saffron mixed sugar cubes that we mix with our Persian tea. It smells delicious. This perfume is definitely gourmand and you truly want to take a bite of the area you spray this on. I do not smell any oud in this one and if there is any in here, it must be far in the back end. But I am sure there is barely any because of the following statement I am about to make. The performance is horrible. It will only last about 30 minutes on you and it will become an extremely light skin scent which made me very sad. I tried it on few times and every time it only lasted 30 minutes. The projection for the first 30 minutes is really good and you might have to over spray it at home or take a little travel bottle of it with you, so you have to spray it on every 30 minutes. Let me also tell you this, I tried this on my right arm and I also compared it with Tom Ford Noir de Noir on my left arm. Tom Ford killed it. Noir de Noir would not even let Across Sands to get to my nose. It over powered it so much that I could only smell Tom Ford on me and I actually sprayed Across Sand 2 to 3 more sprays than Tom Ford Noir de Noir. Now after 1 hour and I can't barely smell Across Sands on my skin, I have to put my nose against my arm to smell it. But The Tom Ford one, I can smell it as I am typing this LOL. And that is why, Tom Ford is expensive because it always performs beastly. I hope this helped. If you buy Across Sands, make sure you spray it on every 30 minutes to keep the smell fresh and going! :(

I'm a huge fan of By The Fireplace. I saw these fantasy Replicas at Sephora and was torn between Soul of the Forest and Across Sands. Where SF was more balsamic, AS was more oud-y. (Dare I say it) -- It reminded me of TF Oud Wood (for just a split second on the card, then vanished). I went with a sample of Across Sands taking a sample of Oud Wood as well just to compare. Silly me. There was no comparison at all ("obviously" many of you will say). I was surprised by all of the sweet notes people kept talking about in the reviews. All I could smell in the first hour or so were the spicy oriental notes with hints of oud that required no comparison to TF's Oud Wood, which remains to be one of the smoothest, most effortless efforts of capturing the sexiness of Argarwood. Still, AS was very vibrant and had great sillage during this time! Deep into the dry-down however, I understood all of the "sweet" comments by many reviewers; why it has such a high percentage for women's wear on parfumo. This becomes a potent perfume (on my skin anyway) hours into the performance, to the point that I wondered what Soul of the Forest would have been like, which I will soon find out. Ombré Leather runs a similar game toeing the unisex line as well, but I find OL to be easier to wear than AS in that regard perhaps because OL is floral whereas AS is sweet. They're both completely different styles of scent, however, 6 hours in... in my opinion, Across Sands leans more toward a depth of choice for the feminine than a statement of risk for the masculine.

On my skin, Across Sands is mostly a fragrance about dried dates. The deep sweetness of dates is contrasted by smoky, mildly cheese-like oud and tiny sprinkles of vague spices, while the dry woody texture enhances the suede-like quality of dried fruits. Although the listed notes are more often mentioned in heavy, exotic oriental fragrances, Across Sands is actually very discreet and airy in nature, like an abstract watercolour painting of desert safari. The oud here is not the assertive, gooey rose jam type or viril barbecue type, but merely a suggestion to anchor the sweet dried dates. The fragrance barely goes through any major changes, only becomes more and more transparent and spacious, like sands got carried away by wind. The sillage is very close, and the longevity is around 7 hours. I was apprehensive about the inclusion of oud in the pyramid before trying Across Sands, mainly because most oud that I encountered in fragrances can behave very forceful. Therefore, the unobtrusive interpretation here is a nice surprise. Being mostly linear and simplistic like other fragrances in MMM Replica series, I can see how it can come out as boring if one does not adhere this aesthetic. However, if you happen to appreciate unobtrusive, easy-to-wear fragrances, and are interested in an airy, fresh interpretation of exotic, oriental elements, I think Across Sands may fit the criteria quite well.

This is just too strong and astringent. The combination of dates, oud and spices results in a synthetic, almost medicinal smell that needs to be toned down. The dates are rendered sort of candied-like by the Oud and spices. Nothing like the beautiful date note in John Varvatos. That's my reference date fragrance. This is not full bottle worthy for me. UPDATE TWO YEARS LATER: I take all the above back. I like to leave my reviews as is chronologically to illustrate the changing nose and scent appreciation. I like this now and just bought a full bottle. It does still come across as a bit synthetic, and slightly medicinal. But its good a good oud, dates, and spices scent that replicates the spice and dried fruits desert bazaar fairly well. I wish Zoologist Camel had more of the dates and spices of Across Sands. But compared to what I think is best of this genre, Serge Lutens Arabie, Across Sands seems a bit rough around the edges. But good. One of the AI generated "pro's" listed above says "Authentic smelling saffron fragrance". Well, I don't know if saffron is a note in the listed "spices" note melange, but there is a slight leather facet that could be partially due to saffron. And a "con'" listed says "dirty due to the cumin note". I get no cumin accord whatsoever, and I'm sensitive to sweaty cumin accords.

The first whiff of this is spicey and boozey. It reminds me of a sweeter version of Jazz Club. But that doesn't last for more than a few seconds. The sweetness is very artificial at first. Kind of medicinal and chemically. Like concentrated date syrup and cherry cough syrup were mixed together. But the dark cherry note also fades quickly, and I'm left with something a little more waxy. The 'date' smell is still there, but it becomes more waxy, almost like a honeycomb. It's very woody throughout. But it's a 'fresh' dry wood, if that makes sense? Like it's been freshly chopped off a tree. (Sometimes I smell other woody / oudy fragrances, and it smells like the wood is damp and rotting.) I was really worried about seeing straight up "spices" as a note- because i am generally aversive to peppery, clovey, ginger, anisey smells. But there is no one spice in particular that stands out. It smells like a happy blend of warm spices used to make a delicious pastry. It almost gives me the vibe of a really fancy gourmet cinnamon bun. This is probably my favorite 'spicy' fragrance because it's nicely balanced and not overpowering. It feels pretty androgynous to me. Off the bat you'd think it's a masculine fragrance, but I feel like this would make more of an impression if i smelled it on a woman.

This is actually very unique. date note here is fantastic. The only thing that i think can be said about this perfume is that it can be boring/redundant for people seeking out a gourmand/ oud heavy fragrance. MM has done a good job in balancing out notes, while the date note does shine through you don't get the overpowering tone of oud either. The longevity can be an issue here as this makes through the five hour mark but also i live a humid environment and yet to test it out in the winters. A nice addition to have in the replica line. heard that it got discontinued. I respect the vision of the brand, where every release is rose and oud, this one veered into a more niche area in a mainstream genre. This stays true to its tone and name. Dusty, middle eastern cloud of dates is what conjures up in my mind whenever i wear this fragrance. The note listed are not exhaustive but these are majority of the ones you will pick up. I will recommend sampling this out. This will raise eyebrows (in a good way). Will update after giving this a few more wearings!

I just received a bottle of this today and I have to say that I was on the fence about getting it because oud is pretty well played out in the realm of fragrances. The oud in this reminds me most of the oud in M7, rather than the ouds in other more recent scents. But, the spices and assorted fruits give this a very good background and provides more substance and depth, more so than if it was just oud by itself as we have seen in countless other fragrances. There is something magical and mysterious about this fragrance and it is definitely unisex. I think this is the first time in a very long time MM (L'Oreal actually) has had the ability to kinda go off in an artistic direction with their scents. The Replica series is mostly based on known quantities and olfactory triggers. The last one that had any imagination was Untitled, which I am a HUGE fan of incidentally. I'm dying to try the other 3 now...but at $180 a bottle, I'm gonna have to think long and hard before committing.

nice surprise from this brand who generally never try to go beyond a simplified reproduction of the niche world's classical recipies. dates, cinnamone ,honey...all my favorites notes uplifted by a strong osmanthus who brings the savor and the juiciness of the peach in this delicious ménage à trois. It's not a great composition but if you are into Aziyadé , Ambre Narguilé, maybe also Arabie and so on you will not be dissapointed. Great longevity ans sillage. Forget the image of the desert and the sand, here you will only find a savoury sticky dessert. P.S.: I see some reviewers noticing a Aoud note...guys! it's not because it's on the label you have to force yourself to smell aoud in this perfume. The power of induction will always amazes me.

This was a blind buy for me based on the notes, reviews and my appreciation for Jazz Club in this line. I am glad I added a bottle of this to my collection. Across Sands opens as freshly cut up fruit mixed with sugar and partially buried in the sand on a warn dry day. To me this opening is similar to the opening of Bond No 9 Queens. I don't get oud in AS. There is an underlying woody type scent that makes me picture driftwood more than oud. Driftwood lining the sand around the partially buried fruit. I get great projection for the first 3 hours, then settles down into a skin scent. But it lasts a good 10 hours on my skin. AS works will in a suit or in trendy casual attire. Bottom line: AS is a very good scent that is worth a sample.

Tried in store on paper, and loved it. I asked for a sample for a full wearing, and glad I did, because on skin it gives a totally different result. On paper, it reminded me of AdP Colonia Oud, slightly sweeter. On skin, I had the same effect, but only for the first 5 min. After that, the spices take the lead, and it becomes sickly sweet and cloying. Imo, this is not unisex, but clearly a feminine oriental gourmand. A great fragrance from MMM, but not for me. Cold evenings, women 20-50.

Unlike other MMM fragrances, this one didn't win me over. Smells like an aquatic Oud, with a heavy spice/date influence. Reminds me that I need to get my wife to eat the dates she bought that have been lingering in the pantry, though doesn't give off the vibe that I should buy a full bottle of this. Hmmm...

Now this is one of the best oud frag Smells like a clean kind of wood with a bit of sweet Turns to be a soapy kind of in the dry down but in high luxurious way Don't understand why it is discontinued really ? Why ? Why?

I really wanted to like it, I really did. everything I was reading about it sounded amazing. it was my first blind buy, I bought a sealed bottle and i loved the smell of it at first. it's sweet and so comforting but it gives me such a headache for some reason. it feels like it just isn't that inviting of a smell. i can see it being a lot more fitting for the fall and winter but at least in the summer it is not for me. like I'll put it on, and head to work, and boy it gives me such a headache in the car on the way to my shift. I get very nervous if it is giving others around me a headache as well😭 I really really wish I liked the fragrance but I jusr don't think it's for me(at least for the summer) I'm just gonna stick to using when the rain stops as my signature! if you're interested in buyin the bottle off me lemme know. I think I'm gonna hold onto it until the fall arrives but until that comes around I'll decide if it's for me. it comes with the box and has been sprayed a couple of times, probably like 20, but it still has a ton of life in it. if you really want a bottle of it lemme know because I'd rather it go to a better owner than me because I just don't think it fits me as much as I'd hope:( hmu on ig@mulchlover3 and we can work something out! lol it's a new account because i deleted my old one

I'm probably the wrong person to sample this -- I like drier and more earthy woody frags but I absolutely don't like sweet and syrupy ones. And I also don't like the taste of dates. So take my review with a grain of salt as someone who tends to be more interested in the gentler, sandalwood/vanilla/tonka-centered camp of woody fragrances. This centers around a core of very medicinal and astringent 'cough syrup'-like date and fennel notes, with a strong dose of saffron and cinnamon as well. Once it mellows down there is more of a powdery element to it that tames some of the sharpness, but you'll have to wait quite a few hours for that as the longevity and sillage is enormous compared to even other 'heavier' Replica offerings like Jazz Club and By The Fireplace. (I'm not a fan of Jazz Club either, I find the tobacco note to be too sweet for my liking) I do think it's worth the money, if it's what you're looking for -- it's a very herbal, syrupy sweet and medicinal oud. It's anything but mediocre, and you will either absolutely love it or absolutely despise it. It's just simply not for me. And now I'm having to wait over a day for it to finally fade away from my skin.

I got to sample the 4 new MM EDP and by far, Across Sands is my favorite! The others are nice but AS is the best IMO. I sampled it and then got an actual sample from Sephora and I do like it. However, after about an hour or so, I went to smell my wrist again and it's gone. Faint, but barely there. Now, there are oils in this frag, but perhaps I made the error of spraying it too close on my wrist and I washed them at one point. So it may of faded that way. Regardless, I suggest trying it before you buy! The oud does remind me of YSL's M7 as someone mentioned. Great for the winter season for sure!

I enjoy this when it is first sprayed- it is a lovely exotic burst of sweet, resinous dates and crisp, woody oud. It is sweet and incense-y. However, the drydown reveals cumin to be among the spices in the spice accord, and it reads as body odor-like to me. While the perfume does not smell bad, it does smell a bit dirty. I prefer Al Rehab's Al Sharquiah, which is also much cheaper! However, it is somewhat sweeter and less sharp, which I can at least complement Across Sands on.

I purchased this because another member here said it smells like my all time favorite Kayali Invite Amber. Well, it doesn’t. Not exactly, but kind of in the same family. Except this is more masculine, woody & less warm, sweet. I feel like this is the male version & Invite Amber is female. They both have that nutty quality. I just wish this was more sweet & warm then it would be perfect.

this felt like a minecraft witch threw a splash potion at my face. would not survive spilling this in a locked room, but i love the concept and i'm impressed that a perfume managed to constrict my bronchioles

I really like By the Fireplace and Jazz Club so I had high hopes for Across Sands. I give it props for creativity and longevity, but the scent of dates overwhelmed me.

This perfume opens with a very sickly sweet maple syrup smell and continues to smell like sticky tree sap without much development. Not for everyone.

I have a 100ml bottle for sale. US only

No. Disgusting. Instant scrubber. REPLICA Familiar Fantasies has been the most disappointing lineup I've ever touched and I have thrown away every single decant I bought for it, not only because my expectations were shattered because of how decent the main REPLICA line is, but also because the ones from REPLICA Familiar Fantasies are all shockingly nasty in some way shape or form. If you tried this one and thought you were a little quirky trying something niche-sounding, good for you. I'm glad you like it. But wow this one is bad. This one smells like molasses, but some sort of fake molasses. Whatever this is genuinely offended me. I tend to have strong reactions towards syrupy sweet scents. There’s no spice. If there’s wood in here, it’s so artificial my nose doesn’t register it as wood at all. I could tell it was going for a date note, but what actually hits your nose is an overwhelming, sickly-sweet mess that made me recoil instantly. "Cloying" doesn’t even begin to describe it. It smells so artificial too, like someone tried to recreate the scent of dates by mixing a hint of soil into undiluted Dr Pepper syrup. I smelled it once, cringed. Smelled it again to be sure. Then immediately threw it out.

Sprayed on paper, not on skin, but after the opening which was fine, it settled into a really disgusting, sickly sweet smell. Like (for those with children) when kids have bad breath and they get some spit on you. It smells like that.