The Embrace

I can't totally remember which YouTuber it was that mentioned this fragrance, but based on however they described it I ordered a sample and was eagerly waiting to put my nose on this. Well, let me tell ya, it did not disappoint! I wanted to buy a full bottle within the first five minutes of smelling it, but I had to slow myself down and say "hey, you need to wait at least an hour to make sure you like how it opens up." I definitely ordered a full bottle after that lol. This is a gourmand scent that opens up very nutty due to the sesame note. It doesn't smell specifically like sesame to me but more like a general nutty accord. The major player in this is the honey. The nuttiness opening fades but still lingers in the background, and then the honey is the heart of this scent. The honey stays prominent throughout the longevity. I love the honey in this the most. It is so yummy and intoxicating! There is also this slightly bitter, herbally nuance on the dry down that I can smell about an hour into the fragrance (and really only if I shove my face into where I sprayed it). It's probably from the vetiver and maybe even coffee (idk what vetiver smells like specifically though). It works very well with the rest of the notes and gives it a touch of depth. Longevity is very good, I can still smell hints of this on my shirt 24 hours later. This is a very good cozy, comforting scent. 10/10

The Embrace is a Middle Eastern realistic sesame tahini halva topped with honey. Never have I tried anything like this and I was super excited about this blind buy. Navitus surprised me again. The embrace is a solid gourmand fragrance but in a very classy, yet natural way. The raw sesame paste with balanced sweetness is the best you could want if you are in the pursuit of natural dessert smells and want to escape the trend of sickly sweet scents. There is an aromatic note that differentiates it from any similar fragrances that rely solely on sesame and honey. Fun fact - I was wondering why would they call it "The embrace", what was the origin. Still don't know, but on my way from the courier's office to home, I was of course impatient to try it out as soon as I can, so I sprayed it on my wrist. The similarity to the abovementioned dessert was the immediate impression, but all the way back I could feel the warm "embrace" of this fragrance around me even if I don't sniff it directly. It was like a sensual aura formed around you from the moment you spray it. Great longevity, the initial notes are well-preserved until the end, moderate sillage, wearable for the summer even during the peak temperatures. I absolutely love it and recommend it to the gourmand junkies out there who are looking for an escape from the commercial fragrances.

Wow - a unique creation. I wasn't aware that Monica Cioch had a fragrance out with Navitus. I often watch her videos although I don't always share the same fragrance taste with her, but I find her incredibly soothing to listen to and very elegant. This fragrance is so her! The sesame note is gorgeous, so warm and gourmand in the opening with the mandarin orange but fades into such a pleasing comforting blend of notes that I find really hard to distinguish between and with a slightly soapy vibe that I rarely enjoy, but here I do. Totally different notes but reminds me somewhat of Mon Guerlain in its comforting, natural skin sort of scent and not what you would expect with honey and coffee! It reminds me of a wheat body cream my mother owned in the 70s, quite delicate and soft in the drydown. Hence the name I guess - a comforting hug. I really want a full bottle of this. Was not expecting this concoction of notes to be quite so lovely. Smells very niche and the sesame won't be for everyone but I think its a classy all year rounder with daytime appeal. Well done Monica !

I tested a lot of Navitus perfumes yesterday from the discovery set, like 5 or 6 on both arms and didn't remember which one was this wonderful gourmand that smelled so good on my left arm... and I kept on getting wafts of it throughout the evening, and went back on all the fragrances that I've tested...and finally found the one that I was looking for ; THE EMBRACE...this is gooood!! So I've tested it again alone this evening: The opening is a burst of sesame that, to me smells almost like roasted rice...but in a good way, like the rice note in the opening of "One umbrella for two" from Floraiku or "Je ne sais quoi" from Téo Cabanel...(they don't smell alike but that note does to my nose) and it's mixed with a beautiful and very light honey, it's not sticky or too beewaxy... it's sweet but airy. The dry down is this luminous mix of honey with the mandarin that almost smells like orange chocolate vanilla to me... very pleasant and warm and cozy! I very much like it! I'll come back for performance and longevity !

What a beautiful opening! The sesame note is up front with this savory, nutty, dry roasted quality that is very unique yet all too fleeting. But I think if it stuck around too long it would become too much, so as it drys down, it disappers just in time to let your body heat warm up the honey and vanilla so this gorgeous sweetness mixed with the citrus and cedar lift off the skin into this full bodied scent. It really goes through big changes, so give this time to develope! The coffee reads as more of an earthy tea note to me, which radiates at arms length, but the deep dry with the vetiver, cedar, and honey are what I love the most. Perfect for the cold seasons and night time adventures! Moderate projection and great longevity this is a finely crafted fragrance with originality and style.