Bloodflower

Review in real-time style as this develops ~ Upon first spraying this - I'm actually impressed. Truly. It has a beautiful and creepy (yes, creepy, I'm not trying to be dramatic) vampiric, sour, rose along with an unsettling anise. Sweet, beautifully maroon/wine colored in it's floral tone, but...again, creepy. It reminds me of Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose, but exponentially darker. It's utterly gothic. The patchouli is apparent even as it opens. There's a classic patch&rose tone in addition to all the natural spicy sweetness, off-putting softness, and metal. An hour later ~ One thing I appreciate about this perfume is that it's finally proven to me that I do actually love anise and/or licorice in perfume, despite detesting licorice candies (but I love the herb itself). If you want a licorice affair...try this. It's easily as much about licorice as it is bloodiness (*edit* until it dries). Though, the blood is truly beginning to dominate at this point. 2 hours and onward ~ I understand what people have been saying about this. Initially it seemed like the coppery, metallic sourness was underpinning the other notes and wasn't overwhelming the composition. As this continues to dry, the rose and peppery patchouli settle down and fade into the background, the anise mellows down to becomes a sweet hum beneath the blood. It's at this point where things go from creepy, to sinister. So yes, this really, *actually* smells like blood. It even gives me kind of a rolling sensation my stomach when I smell it on my skin. From a distance, it isn't too bad. And on the card it isn't as acutely disturbing...but on skin? A visceral experience. Asking my husband ~ My dude didn't smell blood in this, at all, so results might vary. He said when I requested an opinion - "Oh. Nice, sweet. That's good!" There's still enough remarkably in common with Nirvana Rose, but the ratios are flipped. There is a slight metallic, nearly bloody, peppery tone to NR, but it's merely an accent. The rose&vetiver-earthiness leads strongly in NR. Though in Bloodflower, the rose&patch are trailing while the bloody metallic-ness leads (by a significant margin). NR is one of my very, very favorite perfumes, so I feel the need to mention this. NR is an anti-hero with some baggage. Bloodflower is an outright, bloodthirsty villainous creep. It's beautiful, but it's repulsive. I don't think I've ever experienced a fragrance as divergent to my senses. 🖤Summary❤️ This is absolutely brilliant perfumery. It has a legitimate unnerving effect on me and I truly recommend trying it. I won't wouldn't wear this often enough to purchase a bottle, but I'll probably always keep a sample. In all reality, perfumes are usually not how I hope them to be, but this, I'm thrilled to say, truly delivered. I have the same feeling with this as I have watching quality horror movies. Even though it's not *me*, I'd contend that it's an arguably perfectly executed fragrance. A 10, if you will. I applaud Alexandra Carlin! 🥀 🩸🦇

I requested a sample of Bloodflower when I purchased a full bottle of Poppy Soma. If you're wondering whether I can smell the metallic, 'blood' accord, the answer is - yes, I can, absolutely. Although Bloodflower is very poorly rated here on Fragrantica, I don't find this type of scent disgusting at all - quite the opposite actually! In fact, Bloodflower reminds me very much of Juliette Has A Gun Metal Chypre - another challenging yet fantastically enjoyable 'metallic' floral. I had Metal Chypre until recently and I enjoyed it very much, so you'll have to trust me when I say that they are very similar. Now, I've just checked the list of notes for Metal Chypre and it is 99% different from Bloodflower (the only shared note between them is patchouli, so we can only presume that patchouli is responsible for the 'blood' accord). Basically the only difference between Bloodflower and Metal Chypre is in the opening, because Bloodflower is a bit weirder in the beginning, with orris, anise and licorice clashing against each other. Then, as the scent develops, it turns into Metal Chypre's watered down yet unmistakably metallic brother. I will enjoy my sample of Bloodflower till the last droplet; the only reason why I give preference to Metal Chypre over Bloodflower is because Metal Chypre is in extrait concentration and, consequentially, much, much stronger and longer lasting. P.S. As other reviewers on this page have said, Bloodflower is wrongly classified as 'oriental vanilla'. Heck no - this is a very modern Chypre with a capital C!

Bloodflower was my initial first favorite of the Parfums Quartana presentation when first smelling the entire collection and it remains a provocative, unique entry in the line, somewhat a cold-weather, sweet, slightly masculine-leaning option, like Hemlock, but very much with its own vibe. Amidst a host of notes, licorice and anise color my experience of it most strongly--not wholly, but enough that I'm generally thinking licorice and anise first before any other notes. Only after several hours does the pseudo-blood accord (that many seem despite, and others revere) become a significant aspect of the fragrance. All throughout, spicy additives of clover, patchouli, and orris help add color and depth and nuance while not taking away much from the signature players. It's a solid perfumer, like Hemlock, somewhat masculine and surely more apt for cold weather, and at $145 for 50ml, is at the lower end of the Quartana pricing (for which other perfumes are $165 or even $185). 8 out of 10

This is so intriguing! On first spray, the licorice is very strong. I'm a lover of black licorice, so I do like the smell of it. After a few minutes, the blood note begins to peak through. I admit, my first whiff of that made me a little light-headed and my stomach dropped. It smells like fresh blood from a cut or a nosebleed. However, I could only smell the blood note if I put my nose directly to my wrist and thought about blood; it didn't really project in the air. Over the next few hours, I expected the blood note to become more prominent as some of these reviews suggested. On my skin though, the scent became a sweet, syrupy strawberry with rose and plum. There was only a hint of blood left. This is so unique that I'm thinking of getting a full bottle. It's sweet with a dark edge. The sillage is great! I only used one spritz on my wrist and I could smell it wafting through the air. Definitely get a tester and try for yourself. Personally, I think this is wearable.

I absolutely love this! So Good! My new cold weather go-to!! In warm weather this is a beast!! Beautiful spice, sensual amber and deep red roses so dark they are black. In the cold it sits closer to the skin and lasts an eternity. Warm, creamy amber patchouli, with an airy breeze of floral rose. So perfect. My husband loves it on me and I have to admit I may be addicted to it. Every time I catch a whiff of myself I get a hit of dopamine... brings me peace and calm. Reading the reviews below make me wonder if we are smelling the same perfume?!?! I get no blood notes, Or maybe makes me feel lucky I have the right body chemistry for this piece of art. If you are a legit perfume lover, collector, experimenter. You NEED this.

It's VERY bloody :) Oh my god, I've never smelled a more natural blood accord in perfume, that would last and last.. And it has a very pleasant fruity opening as well (I smell fresh ripe plum and moroccan tea, which are my two favorite notes). And this combination of blood that you don't want to smell and fruity side that you want to smell again and again is very interesting. Pleasure through pain :) Longevity and projection-wise, it's a beast - at least 8 hours on skin, and at least 2 days on clothes. You also don't smell too much blood in projection, only this divine fresh plum or plum skin, mmm...

The reviews made this frag sound quite daunting but it turned out to actually be quite tame. It definitely has a noticeable metallic quality to it, but it blends so beautifully with the florals that its hard to tell its supposed to be a straight-up blood accord. Very wearable imo. Anyway I love this and am eagerly awaiting my full bottle.

This fragrance has surprised me and I would place it between the original and different and the rare. Even so, I cannot give it the highest mark for performance reasons and because, although as I say the aroma is original, for my personal taste it does not end up being pleasant since it has something in the background that does not quite convince me. It has a beautiful face but the bloody parte is a bit disgusting for me... The aroma mainly for me is a slightly sweet and spicy rose. The anise and liquorice are very remarkable and the patchouli in the background is very very light. All this feels light but at the same time strange (I also have to admit that licorice and anise are not my favorite scents). Also, deep down I notice something that I don't know because it reminds me of the aroma that is produced when a can of tuna is opened. I know it's weird ... But I think that's what makes the perfume not quite convincing me, although people Who love like spicy and medicinal aromas will probably love it, since the quality of the perfume is high. When I ice it from afar, what I notice the most is the aroma of liquorice. The performance is quite moderate. The duration is not bad but the projection is soft from the beginning making it a more daily perfume and perfectly wearable with heat. Perhaps you would say that it is a perfume to wear during the day in spring and on summer nights when you do not want to attract much attention. Scent: 7 Longevity: 8 Sillage: 5 Versatility: 8 Originality: 10 Overall: 7.5

A heavy-petaled alien flower. Deep red liquid latex drips from its meaty petals. Putting your nose too close to it makes your mind blank. I can't tell if I like this or not. I don't really smell the blood accord at all--it smells much more like something alien abductors would pump into you on a UFO than anything quite as organic as blood. This is such a weird, artificial, semi-floral scent that I almost can't help but love it, but there are definitely moments where it feels like too much and I get a little nauseated by it. I'll note that my girlfriend HATES this scent. Like, can't stand to be near me while I'm wearing it. To be fair, maybe a hike was the wrong time to try this scent...

Star Anise ~ Licorice ~ Metallic / Blood Accord extremely strong in the opening ~ Perhaps vague Patchouli mingling and the slightest Rose arriving late. At first impression anything other than Licorice and Blood is negligible. Blood Flower quickly becomes light and soft in the dry down when the Blood Accord mingles with that late Rose to become the star attractions and remains close to the skin as in the accompanying video. Spray amount appears dependent on desired effect as is timing. I personally find this quite wearable. Desired Effect Achieved.

Man, this reminds me of something, I just can't put my finger on it. A blast of licorice, star anise and orange at first but what a complex fragrance... compelling to say the least. I love it. It's different & stands out from the rest. Definitely not a Mandrake but one of my favorites from Mr. Quartana to date. Projection & longevity is through the roof!!!

I like it. Maybe I’m a big weirdo but I love smelling it. There is a metallic edge to it but interesting to my nose. Definitely not an oriental vanilla fragrance, more freaky floral and kinda woody. I smell the clover and anise. My second favorite from the line. Poppy Soma is by far my favorite. But I’m really liking this one. Maybe I’m part vampire.

Devo dire che è un odore molto gradevole e accattivante,sciropposo,denso e succulento,non si sente molto però attorno,credo sia un profumo che piace a chi lo indossa e basta. Dura molto poco,ha zero evoluzione, troppo semplice come bouquet,lo trovo molto infantile ed innocente,mi fa venire in mente le feste di natale di quando ero bambino.

definitely smells like licorice

I was intrigued by the notes and honestly, I really thought I'd love it, as weird as it sounds (I promise I'm not a serial killer or anything) I enjoy how blood tastes so I presumed it would be a similar experience but in an olfactory sense. Sadly, it did NOT work for me. The blood note was a little too dominant for me and it made me a little dizzy. It's an interesting fragrance, that's for sure, but as much as I thought I'd love it, it didn't go as planned. Luckily it was just a discovery set vial so no harm done. I'm glad I didn't go for the full-size bottle!

The Anis, Rose & Patchouli are all very prevalent. I definitely understand why it’s named Bloodflower. It really does have that blood scent to it. Definitely a strange scent overall but I kinda like it. I don’t think I’d buy a bottle but it was definitely interesting to try. It’s been about 45 minutes since I initially sprayed it. The metallic blood note is now very strong. Somewhat off putting. I’m kinda thinking of taking a shower to scrub it off. I don’t know how much longer I can stand this blood note.

This should be a homerun for me. However, the metallic blood note is overwhelming. And this is not a gory blood note so much as an astringent, battery-like, METALLIC interpretation. I think if they brought the licorice forward and softened the blood to be less sharp, it'd be more enjoyable.

Starts off dark and spicy rose, then gets really sour, then jammy and nondescript. Patchouli comes out at the end but it's already really...bright? at that point. Definitely smells like a poisonous NEON rose.

This is definitely the most challenging one of the scents from Parfums Quartana. And I have to admit that I don't like it. Objectively I can see that the perfume is well executed, it's unique, it fits the vision and it's very creative. There's nothing wrong with the quality of this fragrance, but it's not a scent I would ever wear. Well, I did wear it today, obviously, but that's the first and the very last time I will be wearing this. The composition is actually quite good, and I like almost everything about this scent - except for one note, that is really pronouced, unfortunately. Yes, that metallic blood accord. To my nose it smells really vile, and I actually feel quite queasy smelling it. Bloodflower is definitely true to its name. It's dark, earthy, and of a filthy, rusty hue, with a rose note that is so dark red it almost feels black. The rose is not elegant or romantic in any way, the patchouli note makes it feel gritty, brash and sinister. And then there's the blood accord. It's sharp as h*ll right away, almost hurting the nostrils with its smell of rusty iron and blood that's almost completely coagulated - you, know, thick, dark brownish-red and sort of gloopy. After about an hour or so, that blood smell fades a little, and you think its gone for good - but no. No, it isn't. It returns a little later, smelling even more photorealistic, and vile, than before. This is the scent of the bath of Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614). She was a hungaryan countess who was obsessed with her own youth and beauty. And for some reason she got this crazy idea that blood had youthful and beautyfying effects on the skin. So she had all the prettiest virgins in the villages nearby brought to her castle, where they were killed, and their blood was poured into the countess tub, so she could bathe in it. Because of this there were rumours about her being a vampire. When I smell Bloodflower on my skin I get pictures of countess Elizabeth in my head, taking her crimson bath. It's an extremely dark and unpleasant fragrance, but still, because of the rose and patchouli combo I suppose, a weirdly sensual smell as well. Which actually makes it even more unpleasant. The only time I would vaguely consider wearing this would be if Dracula asked me out on a date. So, yeah. Never. ;) Longevity is strong, I smell this unpleasantness for over 9 hours on my skin. Sillage is very strong right away, but calms down a bit after an hour or so, to a soft medium.

Star anise, licorice, & patchouli. Begins quite spicy with hints of red roses, and huge doses of anise. When it goes colder, the orris starts to appear with allot of amber and few metallic note to give the blood effect. I personally don't like the metallic, as this one smells the least metallic just to fulfill the job of presenting the bloodflower concept. Edit (after 2 hours) now it smells disgusting with that saliva on metal spoon smell. No way this is floral, it became overly disgusting. It kind of reminds me of "Mercury [80Hg]" by One of Those brand (previously known as nu_be) & the infamous "Secretions Magnifiques" by Etat Libre d`Orange. Edit (30th Dec 2021) 4+ years... indeed, i smell metallic note but now with blood touches. This is not amusing and i believe it's because of the over dosed licorice, and anise mix added to them Turkish rose with it's sweetness that made this quite tingling and very disturbing. No thank you.