Voux Patisserie

Let’s get one thing straight, this is gourmand BUT if you DO NOT LIKE cardamom, saffron, or STRONG BOLD fragrances-do not get this! You will be yet another one complaining in the reviews about how you hate it. ...BUT if you’re like me, a person who appreciates a gourmand that is not for wilting delicate flowers or simplistic single note enthusiasts, you will love this. It has a delicious warm milk accord going on here underneath the tangerine(that reads like an orange creamsicle) and an apple/rose note that is you’re similar to the apple rose note in Qissa Pink. Opulent is a word that comes to mind when I’m wearing this. Rich, luxurious, sensual, spiced Basically this perfume is: Rummy, almond paste. On top of orange vanilla creamsicle. Cardamom milk froth, warm milk. Flaky butter pastries. Luxury middle eastern boudoir sandalwood incense-without any smoke I actually smelled this first on a coworker and had to ask her what she was wearing. It commanded my attention so much I couldn’t help but notice. The very first impression I got was a delicious crusty croissant with orange creamsicle and a candy-ish vanilla. Projection is also next to beast level and it lingers for hours on me. Overall one of the best gourmand fragrances I’ve ever bought. Worth every penny spent on this.

This was my first Xerjoff clone and I still haven’t smelled the OG but its also my first intriguing and somewhat “exotic” or foreign (to me) gourmand in my collection. I wear it layered with lactones and vanillas really often. Since I didn’t experience middle eastern desserts and spices until well into adulthood, I’m learning that I have an early childhood smell association with saffron and cardamom that reminds me of herbal hair pomade. The translucent ones with specks and flakes of ground herbs and spices that would get stuck in your hair after you used them, but your aunties swore it kept your scalp and hair healthy (it did.) Anywho whenever I manage to not think of getting my hair braided too tight on first whiff, its one of my favorite fragrances. Its rich, aggressive, complex, and sultry. Its sticky sweet and reminds me of a beautiful south asian woman making baklava for her lover, a warm day in the oven-hot kitchen with sweet spiced pastry soaked in rose water honey and garnished with a citrus zest, attar oils radiating from the back of her neck.

I'm not sure where the hate is coming from for this one. It was loveeeeee at first spray for me. You get a jammy whiff of tangerine marmalade mixed with cardamom, milky caramel, and creamy vanilla. I don't really pick up on any apple or any "bread" notes. It sounds like a strange combination but it all pulls together beautifully. This one doesn't need to macerate but I imagine it will get better and stronger with time. Perfect as is. It lasted on my wrist all day and I was wearing something different to our Christmas Eve family get together. If this is what Italica is I am even more excited to own that one in the future. This is way cheaper and arrived pretty quickly. I only paid like 16 dollars on sale! The bottle is sexy orange velvet. Nothing feels cheap about this experience. I am holding myself back from drowning in this damn bottle. I feel exceptionally dark and delicious, enveloped in a sexy gourmand, soft blanket of happiness. This is everything. If you don't like it, I pity your nose.

Really nice cardamom tangerine scent! I’m a teensy bit disappointed it’s more spicy freshy than gourmand, but if I hadn’t been expecting “pastry” it wouldn’t be an issue. I do get some apple, but to my nose, this isn’t buttery, vanillic, or almondy (as others have suggested) which I think WOULD have given it a bakery accord. Layering this with those kind of scents would take it to the next level! This would be AMAZING with something like Bianco Latte, Chocolate Greedy, or especially Sweet Vanilla (which screams buttery dough). I do like it, but you have to be cool with cardamom. It really reminds me of a girlier Liam Grey, minus the tea note. I haven’t smelled Italica, but I blind bought this because of the comparison. I’ve been DYING for a better performing version of Dua’s French Macaroons, and Italica is supposed to be the deity other almond perfumes pray to... TLDR: I’m glad I have this, but if you want a buttery fresh baked pastry, be prepared to layer.

I really can’t relate to others who have said this was immediately good for them. Straight out of the box this was not something my nose enjoyed in the slightest. Screechy, sharp and disjointed. I stuck it in a dark drawer for about three months and whipped it out the other day and gave it a quick spritz into the air. Oh boy! This has evolved, developed and really come together to form a fluffy spicy marzipan-vanilla bomb! I braved two spritzes into the air and let some settle on my skin this evening and my partner, who normally doesn’t give a damn about my perfume situation, has been unable to resist shoving his nose into my neck. I love this. LOVE this. But it needed to sit a while. So glad I committed (AKA forgot about it!). Will be getting a backup for sure! UPDATE: on a whim I just layered this with Khair Pistachio. WOW! I smell like some kind of delicious nutty, spicy, sweet pastry. YUM!!