Cuir Velours

This is my favorite perfume. In the entire world. Thus far, anyway. I couldn't even review this one because I loved it so much that I didn't know how to review it. I'll just try to be objective here, as it is the only way to keep calm and not go crazy. The one problem (gasp!) about this that I recently discovered is that I can only wear it in the spring. This is so disheartening to me, and I am afraid it is due to this that it may lose its place as my #1. It needs to heat up on my skin in order for me to experience the love. When I first spray it on, OR when I spray this in the fall, winter, or in any environment where it is dry, it doesn't "turn" on me the way it should. It doesn't need to be hot out, but there needs to be a quiet heat that makes my skin a little moist in order to get the effect I want. And when it blooms, boy is this a masterpiece. This is TRUTH in a bottle. It magically does its thing, and in addition, it makes events in my day go especially well. My special someone goes obsessive without realizing that it is my perfume. Its memory influences months after the experience. To me, when this perfume WORKS, this is a combination of immortelle, suede, leather, labdanum, and an x factor which i like to think of as "Bloom", which is what makes this special. They all mix together and put me in a honeyed trance. It blooms mid-day and then lasts all night, until the next morning. Unfortunately, the only notes that come out in the winter or dry weather on my skin are bitter tar, leather, sour tobacco, and a slight peppery nuance. I don't dislike these notes, but together in this perfume, they are not pleasant to my nose in the wrong season. Even with this problem, I rate this a 10/10. The times that it works for me make up for when I can't wear it. It is that good when it blooms.

After testing Corpus Equus, the other leather-dominant Naomi Goodsir scent, I wanted to compare it to this. They each are very different takes on leather. Where CE was a challenging animalic woody leather, Cuir Velours, the earlier release, is an interesting (and unexpected) sweet suede scent. It is another artistic, avant-garde scent from this house, and is utterly charming and quite wearable. CV opens with an unexpected sweet immortelle note that competes with suede for dominance. That said, it is wonderfully cohesive, and utterly compelling - unlike anything I have tried before. Naomi Goodsir perfumes are creative at the best of times, and CV is no exception. It is primarily sweet and fruity with some stickiness underneath. It complements the realistic smooth suede accord beautifully, if making for an unpredictable combination. As it develops, the tobacco emerges, more hay-like than smoky, adding a nice counterpoint to the sweetness. The incense that emerges at this stage adds both smokiness and a balsamic undertone that complements the suede-immortelle accord nicely. The sugary-boozy rum is evident here, realistic but restrained, complementing the sweetness and amber. The suede and sweet immortelle remain, and it fades to a dry, sweet amber skin scent. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is unisex despite the sweetness. It is an autumn/winter scent, best worn for evening occasions. A wearable olfactory artwork, CV is a beautifully-balanced scent comprising very smooth suede alongside rich sweetness. It isn't cloying or overly sweet (and I'm not a lover of sweetness in perfume in general). I find this deeply satisfying, an unusual take on sweetness that feels grown-up and luxurious, yet utterly cool. 4.5/5.

The opening of Cuir Velours is gorgeous; tobacco and leather support a beautiful beautiful boozy fruit set of top notes. Peachy, rummy and a quick flash of something that smells to me like fresh strawberry. The actual fruit, with its tartness intact, rather than a sugary candy idea of strawberry. All of this is given loft by the incense note. The balance is so good that the whole thing sings as a rich whole. The fleeting fresh fruit notes give way to a more raisiny rum fruit note and the smokier tones of the incense and tobacco. The effect is warm, sexy and sophisticated. The transition it does make is into a softer, amber version of itself. The leather, smokiness and incense remain subtle but detectable, overlaid with a softened version of the boozy fruit heart of the fragrance. The balance of this fragrance is noteworthy, with all aspects working in harmony. Cuir Velours is sexy, perfect for nighttime and cooler weather, when something warm and smoky is called for. I get fantastic sillage and longevity from this fragrance. When I initially assembled the pump action spray that ships with the bottle, I thought the spray result was a little mean at first, but in reality I wouldn't want anything more. The strength of this fragrance is very much an Eau de Parfum. All in all a great investment and this winter I have been wearing this a lot already.

On my first wear, it was a sweet immortelle bomb with almost no leather. (Maybe it needed more time to settle?) I'm very glad I gave it a second chance because this time, the notes were exactly as listed. The heady mix of syrupy immortelle, leather, and rum dries down to a soft suede topped by a more powdery immortelle. This scent doesn't strike me as gourmand at all, and I appreciate the hint of powder because it counters immortelle's urine tendencies; however, this drydown might be too feminine for lovers of other leather fragrances. The sillage is fairly intimate and the longevity is over eight hours. This is the second Naomi Goodsir I've tried after Nuit de Bakelite, and I noticed that both fragrances seem to eschew subtlety in the opening in favor of a more compelling and long-lasting drydown. To me, this is a good thing, because who doesn't want to smell nice for longer? However, this is a brave move when many perfumes are acquired based on 30 second impressions, whether from influencer highlights or a test strip spray in a store. As with Nuit de Bakelite, I suggest you try a small amount on skin; you may be pleasantly surprised.

I discovered this somewhat hidden gem during my earlier obsession with immortelle. Here, it feels herbal and unexpected, adding that perfectly imperfect moment that makes the whole thing interesting. Boozy, sweet rum notes bring a warm and luxurious feel to silky smooth suede that reads classy and restrained, all the while complementing what is a deliciously different, and dare I say restrained take on tobacco. Labdanum is on its best behaviour, with no funk and no bite, just well-mannered and suggestive, with the slightest hint of smoke. It sinks to the base of the composition and carries it through an elongated drydown that’s rich, syrupy, and perhaps slightly leathered. There’s sweetness from start to finish, bordering on that burnt sugar, resinous vibe, but never cloying and never threatening to tip into gourmand territory. I really like this. It’s an easy wear, and even though I’ve long moved on from my little immortelle phase, this remains a favourite in the genre for me.