Encens Liquide

I'm going to admit it.no bought this because of the box. I had never heard of this perfume... i was browsing through TJ MAXX'S perfume section and there it was, a little book with perfume inside. It was irresistible. I hopped on Fragrancia to check out the notes and reviews. Incense... Yuck... Musk... Yuck. I bought it anyway, I don't know. I sprayed it on in the car and it was divine. It was incense (I don't like incense) but not chokey smokey incense. I like light citrus scents, not a touch of citrus and not particularly light. Then the incense (I don't like incense) merged with rich vanilla (hey, there's no vanilla listed!) I couldn't stop smelling my wrist. It didn't smell like vanilla cupcakes, no, it was enveloping, wrapping me in soft, warm, somewhat exotic vanilla incense. No harshness, definitely not unisex, with which I usually associate balsamic scents. I am in love. I judged the perfume by it's cover (heh) and hit the luckiest blind buy ever.

This one evolves incredibly fast, so pay attention. Upon first spray, it smells exactly like Must de Cartier or CK Obsession. That very quickly gives way to "dried greens", like dried tea leaves or bay leaves, something in that vein of scent. Then there's a peppery scent that flits through. After 15 minutes, amber shows up (fashionably late of course). Incense comes back to greet her. Then musk comes in to bring it down to earth. The ending smells very much like vanilla, but I'm pretty sure that's the amber and musk playing nicely together with just a lingering wisp of incense. The drydown is very simple, and the opening holds all the drama.

This is the most divine incense perfume ever! It's beautiful - really absolutely beautiful!!!! I fell head-over-heels-in-love with it from the moment I first saw it!!! The box is so gorgeous! And then again when I saw the bottle, and AGAIN (but even more so!!!) when I smelled it!!! Oh my my my, what a dreamy smell!!! Sweet and woody. Fragrant. It's gorgeous!!! Such a lovely gentle delicate, not thick and overwhelming, incense. It is a beautiful smell - I can't describe it! Aand it lingers on and on, all day! Oh....divine!! It makes me feel so calm and peaceful! Beautiful!! The perfume is simply - GORGEOUS!!!

I blind bought this. I probably should not have. The note listing sounded sublime, but on first sniff (and when compared to my Spadaro Doux Amour) this little thing did not stand a chance. While the incense is lovely and the combination of notes works well, I was a little bored, gotta say. Thankfully, I can return this to the store where I bought it, and very likely exchange it for something a little more peppy and exciting. Also, the packaging is to-die-for. I'm a bibliomane so it's hard for me to return this perfume due to the "book box" in which it's packaged. Helas.

Reminds me SO much of Oriza L. Legrand's Empire Des Indes. Not identical but 95% similar. This lacks the added complexity and touch of vanillic sweetness but it's a near dead ringer. I think this one is a bit more wearable for everyday, I'm trying to decide which one I like more because I can't justify owning both when they're so similar. Both are so beautiful though. EDIT: I can't stop coming back to my sample of this. It is so lovely even with how simple it is, it's irresistible. I had to pick up a bottle.